DORMANT STAR is an interactive fiction story set in a superhero filled world in the year 2030. You play as an investigative TV news reporter balancing a career with the responsibilities of raising your teenage child.
DEMO (TBA) ✧ CHARACTERS ✧ FAQ ✧ CW
SAN JUSTO, CA has cultivated a reputation for being a magnet for the anomalous.
Magic, extraterrestrials, failed experiments, and infernal incursions found its way to the the city. Fortunately, the city is not without its defenders: sanctioned golden heroes, and of course, on occasion, a handful of canny brooding vigilantes (funnily enough are character models for those spicy young adult novels).
You built your career in pursuit of reporting on the extraordinary. Meticulous to a fault and relentlessly annoyingly persistent, you made a profession from doubt and the unknown, you deliver stories and facts live on TV; everyone’s watching you… even your neighbor’s cat.
Four years ago, you lost your spouse, leaving the responsibility of raising your teenage child alone. The two of you became a team, learning (although imperfectly) to rotate the way the Earth turns through the darkness and light, building stability despite the loss.
But this is San Justo. and what would you expect in an unordinary city.
Lately, your attention has been consumed by the city’s newest rookie superhero who appeared out of nowhere, known as Pulsar. The public is enamored with this young (really young) hero, but you can’t help but find them somewhat… familiar. Weird.
At the same time, a more immediate concern has begun to take shape in your own home. Your child has changed. Unusually absent-minded and muzzy, gaps in their schedule that don't line up with anything they tell you, and coming home in odd hours— behaviors that are wholly out of their character.
You attempt to rationalize it. After all, Adolescence is inherently unstable with the rising hormones taking place (you should know since you’ve been through that song and dance before).
Yet, you can’t help but feel that something is off.
You have spent your life discerning when stories fail to be consistent. That instinct, honed through years of work is now turning inward, now directed at your own life. You are too close to the subject to remain objective.
Whatever has been lying dormant is beginning to ignite.
FEATURES
✦ play as a telegenic investigative news reporter as you raise a teenager with secrets
✦ customize your news reporter: name, appearance, and gender. & customize your kid: name, and gender.
✦ find love with one of the two strange but single romantic options or stay as a hot loyal widow/er carrying a torch to your really dead 6 ft under spouse (your spouse won’t come back to life,I’m a writer— not a miracle worker ;3).
✦ get an interview with the newest super of the city who seems very familiar.
✦ investigate strange incidents across the city that might put you at risk (but who cares you are a risk taker!)
✦ Judge your kid’s life choices and embarrass them in front of their crush(?) or are they just friends??
✦ go on a blind date and maybe adopt a really weird but cute dog.
✦ Maybe get in a potential brawl with that evil and entitled HOA president!
@interact-if
(credits): divider from @/pixopix picrew from 도트 인포 메이커
In a kingdom where the heavens have gone silent, only you can speak to them.
The Starweaver's Dream is an upcoming romantic high-fantasy interactive fiction inspired by the rich tapestry of South Asian history and mythology. It is currently in progress and will be serialised on itch.io.
RO Profiles | Previews | Updates | Tips on Designing Your MC | more links to be updated
Questions? I will do my best to give you answers.
Genre: High Fantasy / Romance / Court Intrigue
Word Count: > 48k words (in progress)
Possessed of a rare gift long dismissed as myth, you harbour the ability to divine using the literal threads of starlight that form the tapestry of time. When your sacred power finally draws the attention of the palace, the royals summon you to the capital and give you the title of Nursrava, the voice of the divine light. Once you arrive, you expect to live out your days in quiet service to the royal family.
Instead, you discover that the kingdom is on the brink of a collapse. A desperate crisis is unfolding beneath the palace's majestic facade, and your power makes you the ultimate prize. You are no longer a guest but rather a pawn caught up in the struggle between those who seek to exploit your power and those desperate to protect you and your precious gift.
Within the palace's vast stone halls, those you choose to mingle with may decide your fate. Whether your growing closeness arises from a forbidden glance during an encounter or a whispered promise in the dark, you must choose whom to trust with your life — and your heart.
Amidst the swiftly crumbling politics of this kingdom, you are the only one who can see the truth — but in a court built on lies, the truth may be more dangerous than you realize. As the walls close in, you must decide: will you surrender to the duty expected of you, or risk everything for the one who finally captures your heart?
Choose your gender (male, female, non-binary), physical traits and the gender(s) you are attracted to.
Shape your personality to reflect the kind of Nursrava you want to be.
Pick one of four potential romance options (either all male, all female or a random mix of genders): The Silver Tongue, The Exiled Sun, The Silent Shadow or The Celestial Anchor.
Shift the balance of courtly alliances and choose how involved you want to be in the kingdom's future.
Sameer/Samira [m/f]: The Silver Tongue (moodboard)
A lithe, kohl-rimmed blur of wit and charm, S is the palace's "necessary evil". The reformed thief who now deals in information, they navigate the royal court with a cynical charm and a sharp-edged attitude that is as much a weapon as it is a garment. They have no patience for "destiny" or the "divine", preferring to trust in the daggers at their hips and the opportunities they make for themselves. S is unpredictable, resourceful, and entirely too fond of a well-timed double entendre.
Devraj/Devika [m/f]: The Exiled Sun (moodboard)
D enters any space like a summer storm — all heat, noise and with undeniable magnetism. As the Citadel's most-loved military instructor, they wear their larger-than-life charisma like armour. They don't shrink themselves for anyone or any space, favouring bold laughter and storytelling that borders on the legendary. While they claim to be guarded against the nobility that view them — and their tumultuous past — as a threat, their generous heart is as open as the training grounds they command.
Najim/Nejma [m/f]: The Silent Shadow (moodboard)
Observed but rarely and truly seen, N is the quiet heartbeat of your daily life in the palace. Clad in the functional uniform of a bureaucratic aide, they are a master of the understated — always present with a cup of herbal tisane for your headaches, or a path cleared of obstacles for your ambitions. There is an intuitive stillness to them and a physical grace hidden beneath the facade of a civil servant. N speaks little but sees everything, moving through the court's shadows with a loyalty that feels ancient and absolute.
Jai/Jaya [m/f]: The Celestial Anchor (moodboard)
A figure of towering, lean elegance, J moves through the palace with the unshakeable gravity of the constellations they chart. Draped in heavy silks and accompanied by the rhythmic chime of gold jewellery, they represent the pinnacle of traditional scholarship and courtly prestige. As a master of astrology, a precise and logical discipline that relies upon mathematics, they are inherently suspicious of your esoteric sight. To J, the universe is a series of solved equations, but you are the variable that threatens to break their proof.
This work currently contains no content warnings. More will be added as it continues.
The story is rated 16+, or for mature audiences.
“ It seems our favorite trust fund terror found themselves in cuffs, yet again. What started as a typical night for our infamous party animal ended with them assaulting paparazzi for the third time this year! Yikes! Is anyone even surprised anymore? I'm sure their parents are now regretting not trying for that second baby after all. According to a source close to the family it seems their parents have finally gotten enough of their heirs' problematic tendencies and have chosen to enroll them into the notorious Rosenberg Academy. The school is one of the hardest to get into, with an acceptance rate of 1.6%. I wonder how much money they had to donate to pull that off. But let's not be too hard on our favorite nepo baby. The school is known to churn out perfect corporate robots. Who knows? Maybe by the end of the school year they'll be a completely different person….
– on the scene. “
You’re a scandalous wild child and the future heir of your family’s empire, who seems to always be featured on the top of the internet's hottest gossip blog: On the Scene!
When your parents finally get enough of you slandering the family name, they send you to the one place known to whip rich kids, like you, into shape:
Rosenberg Academy
One of the top universities in the country, where the children of the elite gather to learn how to become the next generation of CEOs, celebrities, and internet hot topics.
With the threat of your inheritance on the line will you finally get your act right and become the perfect golden child, or will you embrace your chaotic nature and become the internet’s favorite hot mess.
Whatever you decide, just remember the cameras are always On the Scene!
── on the scene! is an 18+ interactive story where you play as a spoiled rich kid who has no choice but to go to some stuck-up school filled with other spoiled rich kids and (maybe) learn some humility. Inspired by shows like gossip girl, elite, and a bit of bridgerton, you'll be able to customize your trust fund terror down to their furry or scaly companion!
─ romance options ─ choose one or all (just dont get caught!)
☆ Atticus Lisbon [M] - one of your fellow schoolmates and a notorious playboy; will your love be enough to convince this manwhore to change his ways?
☆ Saffron Hills [F] - the stereotypical movie mean girl who has declared herself the queen-b of rosenberg academy; will you be able to melt this ice queen's heart?
☆ Rian Scott Cappori [M] - the youngest son in a large sports dynasty who has no choice but to carry on his father's legacy; can you find the man behind that brainless jock?
☆ Monserrat Palacios [F] - a sweet and perfect example of what a good, respectable future heir should be; can you break her out of her shell and make a good girl go bad?
☆ Mikah/Mika Stratford [M/F] - one of the rare students who actually got into the school due to academic merit; can you convince them that not all rich people suck?
☆ Alaric/Alba Lisbon [M/F] - atticus's divorced parent and your family's sworn enemy, this older enigma is just waiting for a hot young thing to turn their frown upside down; i'm sure getting with them won't cause any problems, right??
18+ This interactive story includes graphic violence, sexual content, alcohol and drug use, profanity, grief, car accident(s), stalking, and heavy descriptions of blood.
River Point, Oregon, is anything but normal. Missing people is just another conversation over coffee, and car crashes are just something you don't pay attention to. You've lived your whole life like that, not paying attention to the news, the helicopters just becoming background noise to everyday life. However, everything changed for you and for your family when your older sibling died in one of those accidents.
You all try to move on, your parents stopped fighting, they actually stopped talking to each other in general. You're left to take care of your little sister, but that isn't before you go to college. A couple of months after you graduated you're called back to River Point to take care of your younger sister. The same hospital that took care of you when you were younger, called you, telling you that you're your younger sister emergency contact. Not your parents. You.
Now it's time to go back home, back to that town, back to that hospital, back to those people.
As mentioned before, your older sibling died in a car 'accident' when you were younger, and yes, you were in the car with them. You've never stopped blaming yourself. I think it's time to forgive yourself, no?
Choose who you are: gender, pronouns, what you look like, how you dress, what you like or don't like, and your personality.
Romanticize your life: Out of three RO's in the beginning, choose your relationship type: friends-to-lovers, enemies-to-lovers, soulmates, childhood friends-to-lovers, and many more to come. Or you can choose to be happily single as well ;)
Pick your therapy animal given to you: Choose a lovable golden retriever, a calming calico cat, or a gentle rabbit! (many more animals to come)
Your therapy journey: Choose to heal, fight back, or to never forget.
What's your majorrrr?: Are you a certified psychologist, or a sweet kindergarten teacher? Pick whichever major suits you! You have a wide range of careers to choose from, I promise it's not just those two!
Pick your humble abode: Do you live a cramped but cozy apartment? Maybe you live in a spacious townhouse. Or, do you live in that same old house you grew up in, with your older siblings untouched room that gathers dust behind the locked door. Wait—why is it locked?
Figure out what really happened to your sibling: Was it really just a freak accident? Or was it something else entirely.
PI 'Kris' Matthews (M/F/NB) — Kris has been there since the beginning. You've had your fair share of ups and downs with them, except for when your sibling died, and everything went into a downward spiral. You moved away for college and stopped speaking to them altogether, but now you're back, and that one sunshine of a friend has gone somewhere else. Maybe you can bring that person back.
Prof. Dae 'D' Baeck (M) — Ever since high school there's always been a sort of...tension...between the two of you. There wasn't any bad blood but, you knew how to push each others buttons. You seem to think it's because he was trying to distract you from the pain of what you experienced when you were young, he vehemently denies it. He was the only person who constantly made you feel human; Except for when you went away for college and they ghosted you, not the other way around. They ghosted you. Now it's time to feel all that pent up anger again.
Dr. Malik 'Mal' Balliol / Amal 'Mal' Balliol (M/F) — Your college roommate, probably the only person who was able to get you out of your dorm room. They always know how to cheer you up, and never let you shell yourself in. Anytime you tried to shut yourself in, or ghost them, they refused to let you shut them out. Your leaning stick, your comfort. But...they dropped out a month before you both were supposed to graduate, what happened? You don't know. Now it's time to find out what really happened.
DISCLAIMER: There are only three (3) RO's so I can make it easier on myself, after I finish the main chapters you, yes YOU get to decide who becomes a new RO from the supporting characters!
Liam Matthews 𖦏 he/him — Kris's older brother by 4 years, he would always tease you when you were younger. He's the complete opposite of Kris. While Kris was sunny and then turned cold, Liam was always stone-cold. He was the kind of cool guy who drove the one motorcycle in town, had the cool tattoos and piercings, and was always working out whenever you stopped over to see Kris for homework. Owns Matthews Mechanics, the local mechanic shop passed down from his father, Sean Matthews.
Dr. Moni Balliol 𖦏 she/her — An Anesthesiologist and...Mal's...MOM!? That's right, Dr. Balliol works in River Point...and works at River Point Medical? Wait. Isn't that the same hospital you were at, and...isn't that the same hospital your sister is currently at? Woahoho! Isn't this a small world. And, wait a minute, is that Mal working the front desk? Huh..?
??? 𖦏 ???/??? — Someone's been watching you since you got back from college, even though you can't see them, you know they're there. Your sister said that since she was in the hospital, someone has been watching her, and that they... they feel familiar, somehow. And now they're following you too. Where do you recognize this person? And why do they keep following you and your sister?
Becca 'Bec' Winters 𖦏 she/her — Your younger sister, the reason you're back in River Point. You are now her sole caretaker after your parents split town, no message, no note, no goodbye. It's now your turn to become the older sibling you needed. (STATUS: ALIVE)
Eden Winters 𖦏 (gender selectable) — Your older sibling who passed in the car wreck, the only person you could rely on, but now they're gone and it's all your fault, that's what you think anyway. They loom in your heart, your head, and your bones, sometimes you think you can still hear them. (STATUS: ???)
LATEST UPDATE 𝄃𝄂𝄂𝄀𝄁𝄃𝄂𝄂𝄃 Reworking prologue — June 1st, 2026
The Colors Of August (Greek Island Slice-of-Life IF) (Demo Coming Out This July)
"If you deconstruct Greece, in the end you will see an olive tree, a grapevine, and a boat remain. Which means, with as much, you reconstruct her."
For as long as you can remember yourself, summertime has beckoned you to your grandmother's home, in the idyllic island of Zakynthos, Greece. You have dipped your toes in the golden brown sand, delved into the crystal blue depths of the Ionian sea, and made memories to last you a lifetime beneath the scorching Mediterranean sun, your flock of close-knit family and friends always by your side in your carefree summer escapades. Your quaint seaside village has been a haven, a specter of a time bygone, a dreamland oasis.
However, this year, something dark and sorrowful stirs beneath the tides, a shared loss reflected in everyone's eyes. A real estate mogul is aiming to purchase the seaside lot and re-purpose it into a luxury hotel. If they are successful in their endeavors, the familiar taverns, homes and shops, including your grandmother's own coffeehouse, will be bulldozed over to make room for tall spires of concrete and marble.
The sunlit reverie of your youth is coming to an end. You may never get to spend another summer season like this in Zakynthos. There is thus only one thing left to do: Make the most of the time you have left.
Features
Customize your character's personality, appearance, gender, sex, preferences and goals. Do you cling to the happy memories of your childhood or does the thought of modernization excite you? Does Greece call you to as your homeland or do you discard your roots? Shape your future and discover how your past slots into it, if it does at all.
Embrace Greek island life! Enjoy the Mediterranean cuisine, engage in local traditions, and interact with the island's lively and colorful cast of residents.
Participate in all sorts of wacky summer shenanigans. Explore an underwater cave! Go on a submarine ride! Witness the hatching of baby turtles! Try skinny dipping! Get so blackout drunk that you and your friends wake up on the other side of the island and are forced to retrace your steps, basically re-enacting the Hangover Ala Greek!
Unravel your complicated family history, and how it entwines with the village's own muddled past. Face generational trauma and decide how to move on from it, possibly reforge your family bonds, and uncover secrets hidden in the attic for far too long.
Engage in steamy summer romance! Fall in love with your wise-cracking (yet oddly secretive) childhood friend, or pursue the unattainable, stoic and withdrawn man/woman of your dreams, who to your misfortune also just happens to be your brother's best friend. Experience a whirlwind romance with the cute and shy tourist staying over in your grandma's B&B (one bed trope here we gooo), or explore your undeniably fiery chemistry with the business mogul who is actively trying to drive your family shop out of business! Or do all of the above! What happens in Zakynthos, stays in Zakynthos... or does it?
Decide the future of your village. Save it from the evil clutches of capitalism or help it transition into a bright new future! Enjoy your last summer in Zakynthos or carve out a life for yourself in the island, permanently.
Romantic Options
The Local (Lukas/Lukia)
The boy/girl next door, L has been your steadfast companion every June through August. The only other kid in the village exactly your age, unlike you, L is a permament resident of Zakynthos and holds no desire to change that fact. Characterized by a sunny disposition, a zest for life and a complete lack of shame, you don't believe you have ever seen L without a grin on their lips.
Yet despite it all, as your time together is drawing thin, you can feel something cracking in their gleeful exterior. Is is at all possible that your old friend is hiding something more troubled from you?
Close as you are, with how deeply they are entwinned with island culture, it is very likely that after this summer you will never see them again. The possibility makes longing swell in your chest, or could it be something else which is making your heart gallop?
L has golden curls that refuse to be tamed so they don't even try, sunkissed tanned skin and sea blue eyes. Their build is fit and toned. Dimples grace their cheeks when they beam, which is often. They look like the spirit of summer personified.
Potential Tropes: childhood friends, friends to lovers, girl/boy next door.
Potential Variations: You can choose to have had a crush on L since childhood. If you do, it will be reciprocal. You can also choose how close you are exactly: whether you are summer buds or best friends all year long.
Brother's Best Friend (Atlas/Athena)
Your brother's best friend and the most mature of the gaggle. If you did not know how much they cared from years of them gliding over you like a mother hen, you would honestly assume they hate you, because their default expression ranges from "irked by your presence" to "murderous intent".
Currently top of their class in an Ivy League College, A is what you may call a perfectionist, and they hold themselves in very high standards. Many want and have tried to get close to A, but very few get past their guard, and you are not even sure if your brother is one of them.
Though distant, stoic and often biting in their remarks, A acts as the group dad/mom, ensuring that you have drunk enough water, put on a sufficient amount of sunscreen or remembered to take your jacket with you.
A is also very honest and straightforward about their perception of you; you are just a kid they are obligated to watch out for through the bonds of friendhood. They are fiercely (sometimes annoyingly) protective of you and will support you through thick and thin, while buying you a stuffed toy like you are still five years old.
But what if you want them to see you as more than just a kid? Is this your last chance to make an impression on them?
A has silken straight black hair, dark grey eyes and a fair complexion. Their physique borders on that of a Greek statue. A has an aquiline nose.
Potential Tropes: brother's best friend, "I am not just a kid anymore", in love and in denial.
Potential Variations: You can choose to have had a crush on A since childhood. You can also choose if they are aware of it or not. At the beginning of the game, A is not actively reciprocating your interest.
The Tourist (William/Willow)
W had no intention of imposing on your grandmother's hospitality so long, but a sudden break up has them deciding to prolong their stay in Zakynthos. Not that they infringe all that much, seeing as they are quiet as a mouse and twice as skittish.
Shy, sweet and with a deep love for Greek history and mythology, W is hoping to take advantage of their vacation time to come out of their shell.
W is in many ways a mystery, intentionally so, you get the impression. Driven by a thirst for knowledge and a need for change, they are the newest addition to your little group.
Will do you able to coax this intriguing stranger out of their shell? And perhaps most importantly, why do you want to so badly?
W has dark skin, long locs and soft features. Clusters of freckles dot their cheeks and nose. Their build is petite and curvy. W speaks with a British accent.
Potential Tropes: summer love, one bed trope, forced proximity.
The Business Mogul (Stefan/Stefania)
S is a suave and confident playboy/girl, who seems to take a lot of pleasure in teasing you. Shameless in their hedonism and even more unashamed in their business acumen, S has come to Zakynthos to survey what they are determined to make their property. Having a wild summer while doing so, is really just a coincidental plus.
Self-centered but undeniably charismatic, S grew up in the lap of luxury and is used to getting their way with things. Despite it all, there is a constant lack of satisfaction about them, like they have everything and nothing all at once. One must wonder if the constant philandering, partying, drinking and expanding is nought but a shield against having to sit in silence with themselves.
S has their eye on you as their favourite person in the island already. Is that good or bad? You are tempted to find out, to dive deep into their dazzling and hazy world of glamor and grime, but you are not quite certain a single person in your life would approve of such an interest.
S has tanned skin, which deepens and darkens especially in summertime, wavy dark brown hair that frames their face irritatingly angelically given what a fiend they are, and olive green eyes. They are tall and lithe in build.
Potential Tropes: enemies to lovers, romeo & juliet, reforming the bad boy/girl.
Important Note
The Colors of August is centered around the beautiful, messy and sometimes difficult lives of a group of new adults making the most of their last summer together in a quaint village on the island of Zakynthos. The game heavily incorporates elements of modern Greek island culture, and is based on the author's own experiences of such!
Core themes include: summertime (of course), romance, self-identity, self-discovery, nostalgia, coming of age, breaking cycles of trauma, healing, the power of community, the old vs the new, the division between the generations, environmentalism, the past and how it haunts, and more.
While ultimately a feel-good type of game, mainly focused on character and relationship drama, I do not plan to shy away from incorporating more serious themes into the game. The intent behind this decision is primarily to show how people grow past or are affected and shaped by them.
For more details, on the precise themes referenced here, you can look at safety warnings below!
Safety Warning
The Colors of August is rated 18+ for:
Optional Sexual Content (can be detailed, fade to black or entirely absent from the story)
Generational Trauma
Mental Health Problems (Discussion & Depiction)
Parental Negligence
Referenced Past Child Abuse
Consumption of Alcohol
Economical Disparities
And potentially more. List may expand as I go.
Trigger warnings will be issued before every chapter/every sensitive scene, so players can opt out of and skim over any darker content, if they so desire.
DEMO RELEASE
Upcoming: July of 2026
Thank you for coming to my TedTalk and I hope you enjoy The Colors of August!
The Vethkai were monsters. Every child in Valdreyn knows this. They ruled for three centuries with blood and terror, and when the kingdom finally burned them out, it took everything it had. The ones who survived fled, hid, or died quietly in the years that followed. The wound they left is still open. Everyone agrees it is safer that way.
Everyone agrees there are none of them left.
There are two.
A sibling separated by fire and desperation, older and alone, who has spent years learning how to look like someone the world will not kill on sight — and how to use that. Someone patient, observant, and more dangerous than they appear, crossing a kingdom on a mission they cannot tell anyone the truth about.
And a sibling taken young, forged in an underground arena by years of training and alliance and the particular cruelty of bonds that were never meant to survive — who is about to win a throne they were never supposed to sit on.
They carry the same curse in their blood. The same history in their bones. The same fear of what they might become if they stop fighting it.
They have not seen each other in years.
They are running out of time.
The Siblings
Both siblings are Vethkai, raised in hiding after their parents were killed in the aftermath of the Ashfall Revolt. Their parents concealed their bloodline for years, living as ordinary people in a village in the western marshes. When the concealment failed, their parents died buying them time to run. The siblings were separated in the chaos — the Elder escaping into the wilderness, the Younger taken by Conclave Seekers who recognized potential in them without knowing what they truly were.
Both carry the Kaimark, not yet fully awakened in either. The Younger's is being drawn out by the pressure of the Conclave. The Elder's is being suppressed — barely — by willpower and need.
Both know what they are. Both are terrified of it. Neither is willing to become what their ancestors were. The Kaimark does not care about their intentions.
The Elder (Player Path A) — Age 22–24
The Elder has spent years surviving alone: learning to read people, to pass as ordinary, to give someone exactly what they need before they know they need it. They are not a warrior by nature, though necessity has made them one. Their greatest and most dangerous skill is understanding people — a talent that borders on manipulation and probably crosses that line more often than they admit.
The Younger (Player Path B) — Age 18–20
The Younger was taken young enough that the Conclave is more their world than the family they left behind. They have adapted, survived, and built relationships inside the arena with full awareness of what those relationships cost. They are pragmatic in the way of someone who learned early that sentimentality has a price.
Characters
Sovan — The Idealist (Gender-selectable | Age 22 | Romance: Path A → Book 2)
Background: Human, former conscript soldier Role: Frontline fighter, de facto group leader before the Elder arrives
Sovan enlisted at seventeen — not out of loyalty to the Triumvirate but because the enlistment bonus kept their family fed through a bad winter. They stayed because leaving felt like giving up on the idea that something good could still come from being where they were. That idea died the night their commanding officer ordered a village burned for suspected Vethkai sympathy. Sovan walked away before the smoke cleared and has not stopped moving since.
They believe the new ruler of Valdreyn is a threat. They believe the Elder when the Elder says they want to change that.
Sovan is not naive. They choose to believe in people as a form of resistance — and that choice has blind spots.
Romance arc: Sovan falls slowly and practically. They show care through action before they ever find words for it — sharing rations, taking the longer watch, stepping slightly in front of the Elder without comment when something feels wrong. Available to both siblings at court.
Tessaly Vorn — The Pragmatist (Gender-selectable | Age 24 | Romance: Path A → Book 2)
Background: Half-elven, information broker and occasional fence Role: Scout, lockpick, negotiator.
Tessaly took this job for access to the Triumvirate's financial archive, which contains records that would end a specific merchant's career and close a chapter of Tessaly's life they have been trying to finish for three years.
Tessaly does not trust the Elder. They never fully do. But they recognize competence, and the Elder has it in abundance.
Romance arc: Tessaly's interest looks like professional attention — they notice what the Elder is good at, remember small things, ask questions that seem casual and are not. If the Elder starts to genuinely matter to them, Tessaly becomes slightly more guarded, which is the most honest signal they know how to give.
Mira Cael — The Wild Card (Female | Age 21 | Romance: opens Book 2 only)
Background: Human, former Conclave Candidate Role: Combat specialist — precise, fast, the most dangerous person in the group
Mira joined three weeks before the Elder arrived. She offered her sword, asked for a cut of whatever they found at the end, and has said almost nothing personal since. She is not unfriendly. She is contained. When the Conclave comes up in conversation, something in her expression closes like a shutter.
Romance note: Mira's romance is intentionally withheld from Book 1. In Book 1 she is a companion, a secret, and a bridge. Her feelings, if she has them, are not something she has access to yet. The romance opens in Book 2 for both siblings.
Corvan Ashry — The Conscience (Male | Age 20 | Romance: Path A → Book 2)
Background: Human, self-taught healer and minor scholar from a small religious community Role: Healer, emotional anchor, the one who asks the questions nobody wants to answer
Corvan grew up devoted to a minor deity of reconciliation and crossed purposes — a faith built around the idea that opposing things can both be true. He left at eighteen out of genuine curiosity: he wanted to see whether the world confirmed his faith or complicated it. So far it has been mostly the latter, which he finds interesting rather than discouraging.
He is genuinely, undefensively good. He will not lie about what he believes to make someone comfortable. He will also heal an enemy if they are bleeding in front of him, without asking who they are first.
Romance arc: Corvan is direct about his feelings in the way of someone who was never taught that feelings are dangerous. If he cares about the Elder, he says so — gently, without pressure — and waits to see what they do with that. A romance with Corvan is the Elder being offered something uncomplicated and having to decide whether they are allowed to want it. Available to both siblings at court in Book 2.
The Conclave Love Interests (Path B Only)
These three characters begin their romance arcs exclusively on Path B with the Younger.
Lyen — (Gender-selectable | Age 19 | Romance: Path B only
Background: Human, Conclave Candidate — selected from a fishing village on the southern coast Role: The Younger's closest ally inside the arena.
Lyen arrived at the Conclave with very little — no combat training, no political education, no particular reason to have been chosen except that the Seeker who came to their village saw something in the way they moved through a crowd. They are not the strongest Candidate. They are not the cleverest. What they are is present in a way that is almost impossible to perform: they pay attention to people. Fully. Without agenda.
In the Conclave's environment — where every relationship is a calculation — Lyen is an anomaly. They form a genuine bond with the Younger not because they have decided the Younger is useful but because they actually like them. This is, in the Pits of Varek, a radical act.
Romance arc: The romance with Lyen is the gentlest thing in the Younger's path, and the most costly. It builds slowly — shared meals, conversations after training, the specific intimacy of two people who have agreed, without saying it, that they are not going to think about what happens when the arena opens.
Raeth — The Court Outsider (Gender-selectable | Age 21 | Romance: Path B → Book 2)
Background: Human, scribe's apprentice assigned to the Witnessing Gallery above the Pits Role: The Younger's window to the world outside the Conclave, and the first person to see them clearly
Raeth was assigned to the Witnessing Gallery as a junior record-keeper — transcribing training observations for the Conclave's official archive. They are thorough, quiet, and have developed the specific coping mechanism of people who witness difficult things for a living: they write everything down and feel it later.
Their job requires them to observe the Candidates without interacting with them. The rule is technically followed. The notes Raeth slides under the gallery grate to the arena floor below — small, mundane things, information about the outside world, the occasional drawing of something they thought the Younger might want to see — are not technically interaction. They have told themselves this many times.
Raeth sees the Younger from above, through iron grating, for months before they ever speak through the bars. By the time they do, Raeth already knows the Younger better than almost anyone — and the Younger has been talking to someone who asks nothing of them in return, which is a thing they did not know they needed.
Romance arc: The early romance is built on constrained intimacy — notes, whispered conversations through grating, the specific tension of two people who cannot touch and are thinking about it anyway. When the arena opens, Raeth stays in the gallery and watches. They see everything. Available to both siblings at court.
Vael — The House Ward (Gender-selectable | Age 23 | Romance: Path B → Book 2)
Background: Half-elven, ward of House Orath — raised in the Triumvirate's household as a political arrangement Role: The Younger's unexpected ally in the court above, and a source of information with its own price
Vael has lived in House Orath's estate since childhood, technically a guest, practically a hostage of the Triumvirate's internal political agreements. They are educated, observant, and have spent twenty-three years watching powerful people make decisions from close range. They know exactly how the system works and have made a careful art of being underestimated within it.
The Conclave is, for Vael, something they have watched with complicated feelings for years — not because they know the Candidates personally but because they understand exactly what the Triumvirate is trying to build with it. When they find an opportunity to make contact with one of the Candidates, they take it, partly out of genuine sympathy and partly because having a relationship with whoever wins the Conclave is the most interesting move available to them.
The calculation is real. The sympathy is also real. Vael has spent so long watching the Triumvirate that they have lost track of where their strategy ends and their actual feelings begin. The Younger is the first person in years who makes them want to know.
Contact happens through the court visits — the political theater where Triumvirate-adjacent figures are permitted to observe the Candidates. Vael uses these opportunities strategically, and then slightly beyond strategically, and then in ways they stop being able to justify to themselves as strategic.
Romance arc: Vael is the most complicated of the Path B love interests — someone whose motives the Younger cannot be entirely sure of, because Vael is not entirely sure of them either. The romance involves the Younger deciding whether trust is possible with someone shaped by the same system trying to control them. Available to both siblings at court.
Key Supporting Characters
The Triumvirate
Lord Casvor Dain (House Dain, military) — Pragmatic, cold, comfortable ordering cruelty he does not personally commit. Wants the new ruler as a controllable figurehead. Will discover he has miscalculated.
Lady Fenne Orath (House Orath, trade and taxation) — Patient, playing a very long game. She knows something about the siblings' bloodline. She has been waiting to see if it becomes useful. It will. She is also Vael's guardian, which is not a coincidence.
Aldric Voss (House Voss, judiciary and information) — The most dangerous of the three. He ordered the burning of the marshes village years ago. He does not know the Elder survived. He will find out.
Conclave Master Rethyn
An older official who has overseen three Conclaves. Not sadistic — clinical. The Conclave is a mechanism, and they are its maintenance. They have noticed something unusual about the Younger. They have not yet decided what to do with that information.
The Other Candidates (Path B)
Eight remaining Candidates beyond the three love interests:
Davan Fell (21) — Quiet, northern, has been the Younger's sparring partner for two years. Either genuinely fond of them or has decided that keeping close to the greatest threat is the smartest move.
Sariel (19) — Rarely speaks. Wins every strategy game. The other Candidates are afraid of her.
Fen (18) — Attached to the Younger with the particular fierceness of someone who has decided they are their best chance at survival.
I just thought about this but the party short is legit golden retriever and their black cat partner. Blaine only came to the party due to MC's insistence. I'm honestly imagining MC did a pouty face while asking Blaine to come and they folded like origami.
I can see why you see that, but honestly (from how how I thought MC is like) personally it’s more like a Guinea pig and a playful cat.
Blaine is very ‘logical’, they have better use of their time than parties and rather put their efforts in academics, internships, research opportunities, etc. MC is entirely different breed, they are not as academically inclined as Blaine but they can be sly… just like how parties are fun but they can be a place where you can create connections; attending one of California’s most prestigious universities meant being surrounded by future executives, entrepreneurs, politicians, industry leaders, etc. The friendships and connections MC cultivated in high school and university became valuable assets as they entered adulthood. Blaine invested in credentials, while MC invested in people. They are both complete opposites but they cover each other’s blind spots and make it work.
Blaine in their early relationship (not in the crush era) was MC’s yes man (gn), but overtime they learn the word… NO but with a little ribbing it can turn to a yes. Blaine has so much affection for MC and Aster, more than one can understand the meaning of life. It’s hard to say no to someone you love. You just wanna give everything want or need because you think they deserve the world.
Ten years ago, you fled Larkspur with nothing but secrets.
Now a job offer has brought you home.
To the town that never forgot you.
To the first love you left behind.
To the family powerful enough to destroy everything you’ve built.
As a single parent and lifelong survivor, you’ll decide whether to keep relying on the instincts that kept you alive—or learn how to trust, heal, and finally build a life of your own.
✦ Single mother MC (can pick female/NB)
✦ currently two gender-selectable romances. one locked gender.
🖤 SOREN MERCER — LOST LOVE 🖤
With tightly curled hair on top, neatly shaved sides, and a smile that can disarm almost anyone, Soren Mercer is the golden son of Larkspur’s most feared family.
Loyal, protective, and stubbornly good-hearted, he has spent years trying to prove that a Mercer doesn’t have to become a monster.
🤎 C. HAYES — THE BAKER ☕️
With messy light-brown curls, warm green-gold eyes, and flour usually dusting their clothes, C. Hayes is a familiar face in Larkspur. The owner of the town bakery, they’re known for remembering every customer’s order and always having something fresh waiting on the counter.
Kind, dependable, and quietly stubborn, Hayes has built a simple life for themself—one they’re willing to protect when old secrets begin resurfacing.
“Some people save lives with guns or badges. I just make bread.”
🩶 N. Hart — THE MAYOR
With blond hair, striking light eyes, and a smile that makes people believe change is possible, N. Hart is Larkspur’s rising political star.
Honest to a fault, compassionate, and determined to make the town better, they’re the rare kind of person who still believes doing the right thing matters.
Then they hire you.
Because some people are tempted by power.
And some people are tempted by the person willing to break every rule for the people they love.
WRITING PLAYLIST: QOBUZ — YOUTUBE — SPOTIFY: GOTTA BE DONE BY SOMEONE ELSE. Playlist is, as of yet, in no particular order. Recommend just hitting shuffle on it.
Something is brewing in Eden City, Terra Nova.
You're not sure what, exactly.
Tensions between rival companies are rising to a fever pitch. Hostile takeovers have started to become the rule rather than the exception. Assassinations—both attempted and completed—on corpos are dominating the news.
And the gangs are following suit. The Cardinals and the Eastside Justicars are gearing up for an all-out war. And they're not the only ones. Word on the street says that the Kawada Matriarch is planning something that could shake up the very foundations of the city.
And something strange is going on within Barghest Security; something that relates to your siblings and cousin.
Something that's starting to stink of a boardroom coup.
⚠Legerdemain is intended for 18+ audiences and features (gun) violence, (optional) torture, body horror, potential suicide, murder, substance (ab)use, and (optionally explicitly) sexual content.
Features
Choose between first person or second person narration.
Semi-set MC. Customise their gender, sexuality, appearance, and first name. Or bypass all of that with the canon Velychko.
Befriend, romance, or make enemies of five different characters: the company driver (M/F), a paramedic (F), a stripper (F), a mechanic (M), or an employee of a rival company (M). And who knows? Maybe if you play your cards right, one or both parts of the dynamic duo might be interested.
Asymmetric relationships. Just because you like someone, doesn't mean they'll return those feelings. And just because you hate someone's guts, that doesn't mean they're not secretly in love with you.
Follow the company line, or turn your back on your family. Or get ahead of your siblings—play your cards right, you might just get away with a little fratricide.
Multiple planned endings.
Oh, and: try not to get everyone you love killed.
Cast
Paradox & kernel_panic
The dynamic duo. You rarely see one without the other. Together, they've become something of a menace to the Edenite elite — especially those pro-corporate surveillance.
Oliver/Olivia Arden — RO
Your usual driver on assignments and someone Paradox might call a "certified yapper". A former professional racer, Arden left Earth with you two years ago and seems to have little interest in switching jobs for something that involves fewer bullets and rocket launchers.
Ángela Alvarado — RO
A paramedic working for the only publicly-funded hospital in Eden City, though she doesn't seem to be of the empathetic sort. Indeed, she'd be more fitting in the social climber scene—if it wasn't because she doesn't quite have that je ne sais quoi that would make it a viable "career".
Stella Marsh — RO
A stripper with money troubles—but her ability to twirl around a pole and take off her clothing isn't what you're paying her for. Rather, she's your eyes and ears inside the upscale Club Euphoria popular with the Eden City elite. Being small and unassuming has its advantages sometimes.
Juno Moineau — RO
A hard worker with an easy smile, Juno is willing to do just about anything on your vehicle for cheap—even though you "have more money than God". You've never seen him angry or frustrated, but you suspect that's because he knows how to pick his battles. And picking on the orca when you're barely a minnow isn't a particularly smart move.
Song Yujin — RO
A bit of a mystery, that one. He's always been polite the few times you've met him—but the type of polite that hides a knife behind its back. Would you really expect anything less from a Hagiwara employee, though?
'GLORY! TO THE WIRE MOTHER' (Commandant Policy Administration, CPA Press, 2050)
PLAY THE DEMO [Half of Chapter 1 available]
PINTEREST | SPOTIFY
— It is imperative that you read the content warnings. Infinita Nocte: 2051 discusses multiple triggering topics, some in graphic detail. This IF does not shy away from deeply disturbing and problematic themes. See the end for a collection.
Infinita Nocte: 2051 is a story of tragedy, politics, war, and cruel transcendence found in bonds with others. This is not intended as a romance.
Customisable appearance, barring colours—the MC has albinism for the narrative.
Uncover a grand political scheme that could spell the world's doom.
Join a resistance—or don't.
Find yourself consumed by vile characters; become inseparable for all the most wretched reasons. Bring out the worst in them and let them bring out the worst in you.
The nations of the world have united to become 8 factions. Culture is destroyed, ancestry means nothing, and you are not your own.
A secret deal struck between the Emperium— that is, the home of the Unison— and the Eastern Assembly changes the trajectory of your life forever; you have become unrecognizable, even to yourself. When you and your little sister are finally selected for transfer to the Emperium in 2039, the Unison's Second Sovereign expresses his displeasure. Feeling that the Eastern Assembly has grown too complacent in wake of their prosperity, he orders a massacre before your eyes and you are the sole survivor.
The thing that saves you? His maddening superstition.
It's been 12 years since the Second Sovereign took you back to the Emperium and transformed you into his perfect lapdog. You carry out orders without question—you know better than to earn his disapproval. You are appointed to UNIT 01; the best of the best. His personal unit.
You come to learn that not everything is as it seems.
Navigate your fellow unit members, investigate a plot unfolding within the walls of the Emperium itself, and stop the Unison before it's too late—or, pave the way to their victory.
YOU — THE GENERAL [F/M/NB]
You are a 26-year-old general in UNIT 01. You are the only one among them to have never been in battle personally, but this is the last thing you have ever seen mockery for. Soldiers from all areas of the hierarchy whisper about you— the way you mutter to yourself, the way you talk to the walls, the way you receive special treatment from the Second Sovereign. Safe to say, you have nobody to call a friend but Avis.
AVIS VYRONNA
Avis, an 18-year-old recruit and your apprentice. She's earned herself a reputation for being a bubbly and cheerful young woman, always seeking to improve and uplift those around her. You would give her the clothes off your back if you were both on the highest peak the Earth had to offer. Despite your difficulty with expression, she knows how much you try. You want nothing more than to keep her safe— safer than you could keep your sister.
ISAAC MERCIA — THE SECOND SOVEREIGN [M]
The Second Sovereign: 37-year-old leader of the Emperium, Unison, and your life. His vulnerability to superstition paired with your albinism led him to take you under his wing among the massacre; he takes you for a totem of good luck. He insists on having you by him whenever possible.
Isaac has red, spiky hair in a side-part with blonde streaks. A scar runs from his chin, through his lip, up to his left brow. It forms a cleft through which you can see a flash of his tooth and gums, even when his lips are pressed together. He is never without a grin on his face.
LANCELOT DEVEREUX [M]
A fellow soldier in UNIT 01. 31-years-old and scum of the earth. Lancelot cannot go a day without being with a woman and often discards them as soon as his attraction has fled him. You do your best to keep Avis away from him. Lancelot fails to control himself— or, he simply doesn't want to. He has quite the reputation for visiting the Lower Emperium, promising the women that he'd take them to the Upper province among other bribes. Vain and petulant, he is quick to fly into a rage, especially when rejected. You can't tell if you want to bring him under your heel or to avoid him altogether. Either way, you're both aware of your mutual loathing.
Lancelot has deep blue, wavy hair streaked with lighter tones. While attractive, you think his face is doing nothing but begging to be punched. His skin is tan with olive undertones and completely clear. He makes sure to take excellent care of his appearance.
VLADIM PETROV [M]
A sleazy 25-year-old lieutenant. Despite being significantly lower in rank, he seems to have no respect for you at all. His constant, close-lipped smile appears more serpentine than Isaac's toothy grin. He always looks at you as if he knows more than he would ever be willing to tell. You think him frustrating, a nuisance, and a waste of time.
Vladim wears a cap with an opaque hood over blonde, chin-length hair. His face, long and thin, is equipped with two icy blue eyes that read you better than you read yourself.
ADILA MUHONGO [F]
A 30-year-old soldier and member of UNIT 01. Adila is quiet, calculative and uncaring. You, most of all, she perceives to be a waste of space— whether you live or die, it would change nothing for the unit. You have never seen her crack so much as a smile. The only times she acknowledges you is when you express agreement with her proposals; even then, it is only a contemplative glance.
Her dark brown kinky twists just about brush her shoulders. Adila's eyes are dark and unreadable, enough to make you swallow on the rare occasion she does look at you.
MERIDA [F]
A member of the resistance organization, deep in the Lower Emperium's belly. She is known among her peers for being determined and unwavering, leaving no room for failure. She strives to execute perfection and has a burning hatred for the Unison and all that it stands for. Like you, she was forcibly taken to the Emperium— only, she wasn't so lucky to earn the favour of the most powerful man in the faction.
Her brown hair is buzzed short for practicality. A brutal scar stretches the length of her face diagonally. Legally dead, she lurks in the shadows of the Lower Emperium.
JULIUS MERCIA — THE WIRE MOTHER [M]
An absolute mystery and the real leader of the faction. He gives orders that are relayed through the Second Sovereign. No man has seen the Wire Mother up close, barring Isaac. When training with the rest of UNIT 01, you often see him watching beside his brother in the distance. Through your impaired vision, you've gathered that he has long, blonde hair and ivory skin.
He only appears during festivals, dressed in a white gown and a red veil marked with the Unison's insignia. The Wire Mother gives all the air of delicacy. He is entirely and utterly intoxicating— hypnotizing.
READ THE WARNINGS CAREFULLY! This is an 18+ story riddled with uncomfortable topics, as follows:
War, descriptions of gore, discussions of rape culture, sexual assault including rape, misogyny, death, death of a child, loss, mutilation, body horror, substance abuse, mental illness, emotional abuse, mental health discrimination, ableism, classism, discussions of internalized homophobia, animal abuse
This list is subject to change.Things might always be added as the story progresses.
The political nature of the story is not an invitation for debate with me. I am quite openly a queer leftist; any kind of hate, bigotry, anything of the like, is absolutely unwelcome.
Infinita Nocte: 2051 is a work of tragedy intended for 18+ audiences prepared to engage with a piece of literature intellectually and within the bounds of dark fiction.
MC: Wow, I see how it is. You go off to school and I get tossed to the side. Sigh
MC keeps up the dramatics until they get a hug and 'I love you'.
My MC is going to be a drama queen(gn) and yes they actually say sigh. YES this is going to be a daily routine.
Funny thing there is an option for that in the prologue when Aster is leaving for school.
Aster is not the type of teens who will groan and yawn with affection from their parents especially when they are used to it, they are chill like that but they aren’t really big on it in public even though.
Give ur baby some hugs, they aren’t gonna be a stinky adult one day.
They had first emerged in 2006, this radiant hero quickly became a symbol of light, like they are the stars themselves. Their abilities are tied to the cosmic power, manipulating bursts of radiant energy that illuminates and overwhelms those who see their brilliance. They appeared when hope was at its faintest. But after 2013, Aphelion vanished without a trace, their fate unknown.
This has been the questions on everyone’s mind… where are they now?
Demo/itch.io page - TBA | Working on prologue now!
Synopsis:
Dreams are easy, making them real feels impossible.
For as long as you can remember, music was just about the only thing that truly spoke to you. Melodies had a way of reaching deep down inside you and pulling a sense of love and safety from you that nothing else could. Which is exactly why musical theatre seemed to call to you so fervently, a live performance with an entourage of like-minded people as the stage oozed a manic sense of love for the craft? What other form of music could fulfill you? None, simple as.
You started chasing your dreams from an early age; joined theatre, a choir, studied music in your free-time, went to local plays, auditioned for local plays, anything that would get you closer to your dream really. But now, in your mid-twenties, you’ve little accolades to show for it. Background roles, followed by one or two supporting roles, that’s the most you have to your name. You have an amazing voice, your rhythm hardly falls out of sync, you work hard to study your lines and direction… and you’re still never the first pick.
But that all changes when you're approached by a woman after an audition. Moxine Solstice, a driven woman who believes you have a draw to you that will turn her original musical from just another great play to a masterpiece. The pay is lower than you’d expect for a leading role and every song you have to sing has a plethora of demanding moments in every song, challenging notes and abrupt shifts in octaves clearly meant to show off range, but if she’s right… this show might just be your breakout role.
It’s time to make your dream a reality.
Features:
Decide your charcter's gender (Male, Female and Non-binary)
Customize your character's appearance (skin color, hair color and length, eye color, height)
Choose from three different singing voices (Soprano, Countertenor, and Baritone)
Establish your character's personality through two traits that will affect how they navigate the world around them and treat others (Outlook and Social)
To call Moxie ambitious would be a severe understatement. At 15, she was producing music and found a modicum amount of success online. At 16, she was the leading voice in her church choir and made her own band to play at parties, she also continued being a solo artist online, simply adding her voice to her music. Now 18, she has piled as much responsibility onto herself as one could take. She has founded her own production company for musicals: Solstice LLC. And now she’s a one-woman army to debut her newly written play; Speechless: The Musical. Will she go into generational debt if her show bombs? Yes! And a massive deciding factor of whether or not her dreams come true is her newly scouted talent she picked up on a whim… you. No pressure!
A jaded, no-nonsense woman who only entertains Moxie’s big-time dreams because she’s being paid far more than is normal for her job title. Did she manipulate the naive Moxie to squeeze more money from her? Maybe. But that’s just business. If the aspiring broadway star makes it further than the play, she’ll learn that lesson in no time. But perhaps Moxie isn’t the only one who has room to grow. Will you be the one to thaw her icy exterior?
Supporting Role; Lou Leonard, he/him (22)
In a few ways, he reminds you a bit of yourself. From a young age he knew singing was all he’d ever want to do and pursued that dream with a dogged determination. And while he has landed a few roles that made an impression, he has yet to land a leading role. Now, if you were to ask him, he would likely tell a joke and say he’s simply happy to pay the bills and meet like-minded people. But in moments where he believes nobody watches… his smile drops and the jokes stop coming. Can you be the one to show him his value?
One thing that is obvious soon after meeting him is his pride. Everything that he can flaunt about himself is self-taught; dancing, cooking, baking, drawing, hell, he even taught himself to swim by jumping into the deep end without floaters when he was six! The one hobby he’s not very open about is singing… It might just be the one thing he loves more than dancing, but when your work has you surrounded by people who were professionally taught and have years of experience? Yeah, best if he just doesn’t humiliate himself. Maybe you’ll be the one to help him find his voice?
Speechless: The Musical is a character driven, drama/romance interactive fiction. Each RO is a unique route that will involve heavy and personal themes. Furthermore, the game will contain optional sexual content in the later part of the story.
CW: Depression, suicidal ideation, internalized homophobia, family related trauma including physical & emotional abuse.
Didn't know this was an option before so I'm adding it now lol @interact-if
