This is the intro post for my WIP, āCantata.ā Read my completed IF, āViatica,ā here on itch.
DEMO on Itch
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Questions about fan fiction of my work and whatās permitted? Please read my STATEMENT HERE.
A low fantasy IF loosely based on the Italian Renaissance period, with a steampunk edge.
SYNOPSIS
The story is set in Saleste, a vast empire with a long history of expansionism and colonization. Within the empire, technically citizens but not, are the Iredicci. The Iredicci can hear and feel the cordis, the harmonic pulse that connects all living things, and they connect to it through song. Iredicci have excellent hearing, but their defining feature is their voiceāthey have an echo to their voice, a resonance of two pitches at once.
A simple, nomadic people, the Iredicci were traditionally welcome in all corners of the Saleste Empire. But as steam technology progressed and the push for new resources grew, a prejudice developed against them. Over the years they stopped being welcome. Eventually, their travel was restricted, and the Iredicci were forced to live in settlement camps.
You are one of the Iredicci, born into such a camp. The elders sing songs of past travels and wonders you have never seen. Ever the optimists, the elders tell you to take heart. To be thankful you are among friends and family. That things canāt possibly get any worse.
Until they do.
Historians and politicians would call it The Proelium, a righteous battle against the traitorous Iredicci. What it really was, was the systematic genocide of your people. In one night, soldiers attacked every settlement camp across the empire. No one was sparedānot the elders, not the children, not your mother.
It was mere whim that you snuck out of camp that evening, a mischievous escapade with a friend that ironically saved your life. You are taken in by your friendās family and kept safe. But with survivors being hunted and killed, you must conceal your identity. So, you pretend to be deaf and mute.
Journey through the empire of Saleste and beyond. Grow from a child into an adult. Make friends, lovers, allies, and enemies. How will they react when your secret comes to light? Will you abandon your song in favor of machine? Join the rebel forces against the tyrant regis? Will you heal the wounds of the realm and restore balance? Or plunge it further into chaos?
FEATURES
Play as male, female or nonbinaryāyouāll be able to choose your pronouns independent of your body type.
Customize your characterās appearance and personality.
Choose your attunement/proficiency with the cordis. This choice will heavily influence gameplay, affecting combat, weapon specialization, character interactions, and problem-solving situations. Choose wisely!
Create 2 character names: your birth name and an alias. The Iredicci have culturally unique names, so your birth name will be limited to a preset selection. But you will go by an alias of your own choosing for most of the story.
Develop your relationship with your adopted sister. Are you friends or rivals?
Romance! Or not. Romance 1 of 5 possible love interests, including a late addition, secret RO! Or choose the platonic route with the best of friends.
Save a wild animal from a hunterās trap and gain a steadfast companion. Because fur baby.
THE MC
The game begins with you at age 7. When you are 12, your camp is slaughtered during The Proelium. With your voice and heightened hearing identifying you as Iredicci, you pretend to be deaf and mute in order to hide your heritage. The main game occurs 13 years after The Proelium, when you are 25.
ROMANCE OPTIONS
Calliope Cato (she/her)
The inventor/artificer, Calliope can build and fix any machine. She is 2 years younger than you, petite, with gold eyes, rich brown skin and black hair in multiple braids. Her hair and clothes are adorned in rings, belts, and pins which double as tools. She carries a manās cane sword with her everywhere, which she wields in a fight along with a hand crossbow. Sheās curious, optimistic, excitable, and easily distracted by her many projects, but much of that is to keep her mind occupied. In quiet moments when she thinks no one is looking, you glimpse a profound sadness on her features.
Corinne Xenakis (she/her)
The leader of the rebels, Corinne works to overthrow the monarchy and aid the surviving Iredicci where possible. She is 6 years older than you. She is tall, with long, sandy brown hair usually worn in a messy bun or loosely braided bun, hazel eyes, and beige skin tanned by the sun. Quiet, serious and aloof, she feels a tremendous responsibility for those under her command. Corinne is a contradictionāshe has the grace and manners of a noblewoman, yet fights with military precision that is uncommon for females of noble lineage. She is deadly when double wielding her flintlocks or axes. While not cold, she is not overly familiar or friendly with anyone, and very tight-lipped about her past. What does she guard so fiercely behind her armor?
Vicente Aloi (he/they)
The bastard prince, Vicente is calculating, ruthless and driven. They are the same age as you, and they, too, lost their mother the night of The Proelium, though under different circumstances. But while you were adopted into a loving family, he is the unwanted son of the regis, trained to be a lethal tool. He has long, midnight blue-black hair, icy blue eyes, and high defined cheekbones. The edges of a tattoo are barely visible on his neck above the collar of his doubletā¦ wings, perhaps? Itās beautiful. Heās beautiful, though youād never tell him for fear heād take his rapier to your neck simply for looking. Will your plans align with his, or are you merely another pawn in his schemes?
Bayram Durmaz (he/him)
The son of the Aydem, the matriarchal leader of Tinebaille. Bayram is 4 years older than you. He has golden-honey skin, light brown eyes, and dark brown, tightly-curled hair that he usually wears back in a ponytail or half ponytail. He is tall and broad, muscular but not toned, with a rounded edge to his stomach and chest. A sprawling, colorful tattoo, the mosaic artwork of his people, covers the entirety of his back. He is boisterous, bold, and a shameless flirt. With his young sister bearing the weight of succession, heās been free to explore the islands to his heartās content, and is familiar with every bay, inlet, and harbor. He is equally skilled at wielding a spear, sailing a ship, and charming hearts.
CLICK HERE for a master post of all the fun, flavor text options in the story thus far. These are mostly insignificant, not plot affecting, and only for funsies.
It was a pleasure to speak with @ataleofcrowns aboutĀ A Tale of Crowns, the top-voted game in the Fantasy category!
AToC is a sweeping fantasy romance inspired by Middle Eastern cultures and traditions. Blending fascinating world-building, unforgettable romance options into a truly distinctive story, this is a must-play (if you haven't already) and 100% a deserving winner in a stacked category.
We hope you enjoy this interview as much as we enjoyed putting it together! Read the other interview with @wings-of-ink for God-Cursed here.
You can find the list of fantasy winners here.
About the author
Thereās a lot that people donāt know since I donāt really post much about myself or my personal life, and Iād honestly prefer to keep it that way, which I suppose is in and of itself something that people should know! Iām just naturally a private person, so I would like people to pay attention to my work first and foremost. I also struggle answering questions about myself in general, so itās easier this way haha.
About the game
Itās a high fantasy romance story with Middle Eastern roots.
Tell me about your journey into interactive fiction and what youāre working on right now
Aside from AToC I also write for fun (traditional fiction that is), but itās nothing I would ever post since itās just for myself and to practice at writing. As for interactive fiction, Iāve always been very fond of choice-based games since I was a kid, so when I discovered the medium of Twine I thought it was a perfect way to try my hand at it for fun. It started as a hobby and then it unexpectedly developed into something more from there.
What was the inspiration for this game, and why did you want to write a story in this genre?
Aside from my enjoyment of the choice-based genre, I also enjoy fantasy, but in Western spheres you usually get European-inspired fantasy settings for obvious reasons. When Western authors do decide to include West Asian representation, itās usually in an exoticized or fetishized form. So I wanted to create something that reflected art that was recognizable to me and others like me.Ā
Are there any specific themes or messages you hope players take away from your work?
This is a bit broader than what the question asks for, but: I hope it inspires and motivates people to seek out or create spaces for themselves instead of seeking representation in spheres that have proven hostile to anything that diverges from the norm, whether it be in regards to culture, race, gender, sexuality, etc. I find this more useful than begging such creators to please consider us as human beings when writing their stories. Besides which, you realistically canāt expect any single person to perfectly cater to and represent your individual needs. Itās better to make or seek out art that resonates with you and supporting that than waste time and energy hoping for scraps.Ā
Whatās the one thing youāre really proud of that youāve written so far? Do you have a favorite character or scene that youāve written?Ā
My favorite scene is and still remains the coronation scene in Chapter 7. It touches both on a lot of world-building for the setting of the game as well as personal development for the Crown, who up until that point has felt like a survivor just trying to get by. Now, for the first time in their life, theyāre being entrusted with something monumental and terrifying: the wellbeing of an entire nation. Itās the ārealā beginning of the game, in a way.
Any books, music, movies etc. youāre obsessed with at the moment, or would like to recommend?
This kind of gets back to the earlier question of what inspired me to write AToC/fantasy, but I saved it for this because I want to give a massive recommendation for everyone to check out the light novel series Twelve Kingdoms written by Fuyumi Ono. Itās also available in anime form, though that is left unfinished, and the light novels have recently gotten an updated English translation for the entire series. I never cared for traditional Western fantasy books, but Twelve Kingdoms was one of the works of fantasy that made me absolutely fall in love with the genre and inspired a lot of AToC as well.Ā
Whatāre you excited to tackle/implement/work on next?
Iāve begun brainstorming my next IF work after AToC is finished. I wonāt start writing on it until AToC is in its final chapters, but until then Iām letting it marinate for the next couple of years. Iām planning on it to be very different from AToC, in a more horror-oriented and much smaller setting, with an older and experienced cast of characters and MC. Though of course it will be romance-centric as well, because Iām a romance writer at heart haha. Theyāll all be a lot more morally ambiguous or, in some cases, outright bad people. I think itāll be a refreshing change of pace after having worked on AToC for so long!
To the most inspirational @fir-fireweed,
On behalf of the Cantata Warriors, we wish you all the best with your health! May you have a safe surgery and a speedy recovery. Please take all the time you need to rest! Just like the amazing cast of Cantata, you will definitely persevere through whatever life throws at you, and we will happily support you every step of the way!
After all, accord means community and community means we stick together through thick and thin šŖšŖšŖ
Kween! My friend! You lovely excellent human, you! This is beautiful and thoughtful and so incredibly touching! Thank you! š„¹šā¤ļø
The gangās all here! I love all the little music notes (in corresponding eye colors, I think?) and Codaās being, well, a coda!
I do feel like Iāve found my own accord with this community, and this just solidifies how amazing you all are. Iāve felt such an outpouring of support after sharing news of my surgery and this is just the cherry on top!
Iām going to sign off tumblr for a week or so. With my surgery on Monday Iāll be spending time with family this weekend, and then probably remain off for a bit. Iām going to treasure this memory and everyoneās kind words while I recover!
I found you through Cantata ā which I love, by the way ā and the cliffhanger you left us on was honestly too much, so I went straight into Viatica desperate for more š„¹
I just wanted to thank you, truly. Iāve always loved writing but was never really good at it, so when I come across someone who not only has this incredible gift but also gives it to the world for freeā¦ it just makes me emotional.
In my early studies of the classical writers there was a quote by Plutarch which always resonated with me: āĪæį¼± Ī»ĻĪ³ĪæĪ¹ ĻĪæįæ¦ Ī½Īæįæ¦ Īµį¼°ĪŗĻĪ½ĪµĻ Īµį¼°ĻĪÆĪ½ā ā words are the images of the mind ā and yours have built entire worlds I didnāt want to leave.
What you do means more than you know. ā¤ļø
Iām not crying, youāreā¦ no, nevermind, Iām bawling, Iāmā š
Anon, Iām speechless. Iām touched, truly. I donāt have the words to express how much this means to me! And Iām a writer! š„¹š
hi hi fir!! Wishing you luck on your surgery and please take all the time you need for both healing and writing š and that new art sneak peek?? I can't waitt
Now I will ramble about the new chapter.
I can't believe I met my fathers from God-Cursed gosh I was squealing when I read that! And the Catos reunion?! It never crosses my mind that Alessandro could be alive, that scene was so touching. The bath scene sgjshshsksbdgksbshsje I have no words. Just know that I was smiling and giggling reading that scene. AND THAT ENDING. You really left us on a cliffhanger and I'm desperately hanging on to that cliff
I'm very excited on what's coming next in the story, I love your writing! also I'm not normal about tellus. love that guy and I love how you write the characters they are so endearing
I'm scared to face Eva's wrath when she finds out that MC indeed did something stupid. sorry Eva š
Hi anon! I hope you enjoyed the full art!
And oooooh! Youāre gonna be in so much trouble with Evelyn! š«µ
Hii!! I discovered your work and Cantata yesterday, was up until 11pm reading all of it! All I can say is WOW. Not only do I adore the ROs (especially Corinne <3) but all of the characters are so lively and realistic. I can't wait to read more and will probably start Viatica soon.
Hello anon! I appreciate you giving Cantata a read! I hope you enjoy Viatica just as much, though Iād recommend having tissues on hand. š
Now that the cat's out of the bag, once whatever... draaamaaa occurs as the fallout of keeping the secret, I just imagine a MC so chatty! Someone tells them to shush. MC nods, finger to their lips, "Like a palm civet". Bonus points for throwing it back at Bayram specifically, but I can't imagine him ever telling MC to shush lol.
Hahaha that would be such a fun callback! Now Iām reminded of this cute little illustration by my friend @kloudkween š
Hi Fir!
This is completely unrelated to Chapter 6 (It's amazing though!) and more so to do with getting your permission to tag you!
I am also an IF writer (and asexual), something I plan on posting about is asexuality and I wanted to point to specific characters that I feel are good representation of certain elements of that identity. The post is just to allow other Authors/readers to be introduced to the identity.
I was planning on pointing to Robin, from Viatica, for this representation. While I know you have not dictated that Robin is asexual, nor will I claim as such! I feel like there's elements to their story that feel relevant and important to point to.
I understand completely if this is a no! I wish you luck on your recovery and wish you a lovely day!
-Anon
Hi anon! I donāt mind, and I appreciate you asking first. š
I didnāt write them as such, but I can certainly see Robin somewhere on the asexual spectrum. I think itās a wonderful idea, and Iām proud and flattered that you think my characters are a good representation of that. Iām curious what elements of their story youād point to, and Iām interested in seeing your thoughts!
How did you choose Bayram's name? Like were there other options to choose from or you just saw it and went 'Yep. That's him.'
I looked up Turkish names for boys and when I found Bayramās and the meaning, I was like, yep! Done! š I didnāt know that itās a name given during a time of celebration, but I love that idea. ā¤ļø
I did not, however, look up the meaning behind his surname Durmaz. A Turkish reader informed me in this post that his full name basically means ācelebration never stopsā, which I find ironically and hilariously appropriate for Bayram! š
"The RO scenes are pretty early this chapter... something bad is going to happen at the end, isn't it?"
AND I WAS RIGHT!!! (Also hi Fir!! I just finished chapter 6 so it's time for me to ramble again) Well! Bad for my MC but good for me because I love love love how you did the reveal!! AAAAA I kept rereading it over and over, I couldn't imagine any other way of how it could go!!
ABSOLUTE CINEMAā¼ļøā¼ļø Def added to my list of fav scenes! I currently only play as a fire attuned so I don't know how it went for others, but just imagine being Matteo or even one of the engineers seeing the ships in the sky from below then hearing... Iredicci singing? And you're thinking "Where the hell is that coming from-" then suddenly BOOM one of the ships burst into flames then another then another!!! That must've been terrifying from their perspective omg, I can't wait for everyone's reactions next chapter!!
The bath scene oml THE BATH SCENE Tellus your yearnerisms are showing... BUT A MAN WHO YEARNS IS A MAN WHO EARNS, AM I RIGHT!! I am forever a victim to the childhood friends to lovers trope, the writing with Heron was so good but GOSH this was on a whole another level!!
And I just love Eva so much, the way she had to (figuratively) SLAP MC (but honestly I wouldn't blame her if it was literal) with her honest feelings when they were talking, Eva never ever EVER change
You jostle her shoulder and she briefy touches her forehead to your arm
"Don't be stupid"
EVAAA SJFHSJF I LOVE YOUUU SO DEARLYYY
Also!! ALESSANDRO BEING ALIVE HELLO??? THAT REVEAL??? Calliope my sweet girl oh the TSUNAMI of emotions she was feeling at the moment, that and the way you wrote her grief before and the desperation at the slightest hint of her father being alive oh my god I've perished /pos
I also really like the envy choice when she reunited with her father! I play as a social, ball of sunshine MC but I like having choices that show the layers of the "ugly" emotions that he oh so tries to keep hidden deep down!
Such an amazing chapter, Fir!! As always, I hope you take a good rest!!! THANKING YOUU FOR FEEDING US, THIS WAS SUCH A FEAST!!!!
Hi Kade! š I love seeing your responses, thank you so much! šš«¶š»
firrr, i really love your story and i keep replaying with every ROs and with different attunements! every ROs is so precious š
it's so amazing the way you write each scenes but also, i really want to gush about the music?!?! oh god, i usually don't like listening music when i read IF because it usually break my concentration and sometimes doesn't deliver the punch. but you, lord, the music is everything?! i really can tell you write this with music in mind, and it's beautiful!! the cinematic of it, the line you wrote really resonate with the tune, and i particularly like the music accompanying vicente's bath scene; it feels like it sliced my heart and i can feel the pain, the restrain, and the yearning so much.
i love the way you write and how you accompany everything with sounds like in viatica too, i can picture everything like a movie in my mind. ughh, i can't wait for chapter 7 but you can take your time fir. especially with surgery and everything!! i hope everything goes well and that you always be healthy!! (ā Ā ā āā āæā āā Ā ā )ā ā”
Thank you so much! I love hearing reactions to the music selection. I know it can be a very personal reading experience, and as you say, break the immersion for some.
I particularly had a lot of fun picking out the tunes for each RO. Calliopeās tune is bright and cheerfulāso is Bayramās, but his also has a more exotic tone. Vicenteās and Tellusās tunes are more solemn, dramatic and slightly somber. And Corinneās is more calming and reflective. I like the way hers and Tellusās tunes build. š
Iām so glad you enjoy the music, thank you! š«¶š»
was a huge water mc girlie until the earth won me over, especially during the fight scenes when mc is shorter than average and is earth attune. idk i get the kick out of everyone's reactions to it when they find out that short goblin can take a hit and can hit back hard.
Lol, little earth goblin ready to rumble. šŖš»
Historical Fiction Winner š The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: Affairs of the Heart
It was an incredible pleasure to interview @doriana-gray-games, author of the overall winner in the historical fiction category for The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: Affairs of the Heart. It's an IF with incredible writing, most lovable characters, and swoon-worthy romance.
Doriana has been a truly amazing, uplifting presence in the IF community for so many years now, and this interview contains... a relic from 2021, mentions of witches in ancient Egypt, and if you read nothing else today, let it be this.
See the full list of winners in this category here.
About the author
I am not British! This comes up a lotā¦ š Iām Swedish, and I learnt English through video games. I knew the English word vehicle before I knew the word cardigan. I host guide and working dogs in training š„° So I usually have a Labrador or two around. One did, once, eat my homeworkā¦
About the game
Play as your own Sherlock Holmes, but itās a romance.
Tell me more about your journey into interactive fiction
Sure! I think Iāve told this story a few times, but I donāt mind re-rambling once more. I started this project (aaoth - the full title is far too long) as an interactive writing exercise. I was in the early days of a software engineering degree (that I only took to make games and have a steady backup professionā¦ Ask me how the IT industry is doing for juniors now lolā¦)
Anyway, I had been sitting on this other RPG game idea for like 2 years. Far too ambitious in hindsight. And when covid hit, I finally had time to sit down and do something with it. I wrote my first scene andā¦ God. It was shit. I thought, like most ignorant people probably do, that writing would be the easy bit in making a game.
Ha!
So, fast-forwarding a bit, I decided to teach myself creative writing + branching dialogue. Gave myself about a year. I had been reading Wayhaven a lot at the time, and loved it, and I decided that ChoiceScript could be a great little way to practice.
[Imagine a montage of writing and reading here] š āØ
I did some really tedious writing exercises, and I skimmed some very long books on writing. I began the project during the late summer of 2020, and I posted my first demo and chapter in the summer of 2021. I had showed it to no one. I didnāt really know Tumblr was a thing at that point, so I didnāt have one. The only person who read it before I posted was one user on the forums, a few hours before I put it up. I think I asked in some writing support threadā¦
HOLD ON IM SKIMMING MY OLD POSTS AND DMS, I found it:
I posted this, and someone very nice DM'd me. And they were complimentary enough of my demo that I posted it publicly like an hour later. With very shaky hands.
And, the rest, as they say, is history!
Everyone was so nice about it that I very quickly moved it from an exercise in my mind to something much more. Thankfully, I had already done all my outlining and planning as part of my learning process š„°
I want to end this part on an unusual note.
My journey into writing was a strange one, and in many ways quite late in life. I always thought only a certain type of person was a writerāsomeone born with a pen in hand, who speaks eloquently and has read Tolstoy in multiple translations. AS I NOW KNOW THIS ISNāT TRUE, I can say that anyone can do it if they are ready to work on it, and do the hard work and practice ā¤
What was the inspiration for this game, and why did you want to write a story in this genre?
I love historical anything. I like stylised language, I like worlds slightly different to our own. I think that some of the barriers to love seen in history can be used to write some great yearning. I had also just played Wayhaven and was probably thinking in terms of ādetective + romanceā. And one day it just came to me. (Also, Sherlock Holmes is iconic!)
What's the one thing you're really proud of that you've written so far? Do you have a fave character or scene you've written?
Iām strangely proud that most people seem to find Mrs Hudson amusing or lovable, despite herā¦ many eccentricities. I thought I would be bombarded by hopes that she soon dies in some gruesome crime sceneā¦
What does your writing process look like? Any habits, tips, tricks, routines or approaches that have worked well for you?
My biggest tip is this: Just start. No really. You can plan and dream forever.
Do you have favorite Interactive Fiction games, characters, scenes, or authors that you'd like to recommend?
This is the most biased thing I could say, and anyone who knows me will not be surprised. But I think Edenās introduction scene in A Pirate's Pleasure is the most perfect example of a historical romance genre done in an IF. In everything from prose, tone, tension, and characterisation. (Warning: itās FeMC locked, MROs, and quite stat punishingāeven in the flirting!)
Ugh. Eden š„ŗ
What're you excited to implement/work on next?
Iām excited about two thingsā
Showing off the final ball romance scenes in my upcoming aaoth chapter 6.3, and doing playtests for my day job game, A Courting of Curses (Itās a 3D romance RPG made in Unreal Engine).
Then thereās a scene in chapter 7 that I hope I can do justice to how I imagine it in my mindā¦ š š«¦ š
Fun section for the historical fiction genre
Personal fave historical fiction protagonist archetype:
Gahhhh, I donāt know! Umā¦ Like for me? Or to write? Because, like, witch? Thatās fun š§ but victorian detective is also very fun!
Personal fave action/adventure setting:
These are all needlessly hard and difficult to answer! š„¹ I seem to gravitate towards creating things set in the 1800s, in England-like worlds. But, kid me would have 100% said ancient Egypt (I loved it after playing Age of Mythology, and watching The Mummy Returns).
If you were transported into the setting above, as the protagonist archetype you selected, what quest/adventure would you be on?
ā¦ A witch in ancient Egypt? I really donāt know if I have the skills to survive in any ancient worldā¦ š As much as I like to write isekai stories, Iām far too aware of the dangers, and my own fragility, to not assume Iād die real quickā¦
I, uhā¦ shall end this on that fun note! š
āŗ Thank you, everyone, for reading, and the Interact-IF team for the questions and all of this! ā¤ Have a great day ā¤
The babies!!! š This is so sweet and beautiful! You even included Vanilla, AAAHHHH!! š„¹ā¤ļø I love Tellusās hair with the flower and little braids, I can imagine your MC doing that for him! And then them having the same dreamā¦ oooooof. š
I just wanted to say I love how hopeful your stories are. I can see the reflection of real world events in the stories and the message of strength plus hope. Despite the events of Cantata and Viatica they teach strength in community and hope. Sorry for ranting I just wanted to thank cause these are the stories I really needed to hear.
Thank YOU for this kind message, itās not a rant at all! I appreciate it very much! ā¤ļø
Iāve been accused of my stories not being āgrittyā or dark enough, and thatās totally fair. Thereās a lot of authors out there who excel at writing dark fiction and approach it well. This is the kind of story I want to tell, and if it touches even a few people, then I consider myself very blessed. āŗļø Thank you for sharing, anon!
Apologizes if this has been asked before, but regarding singing and being Iredicci, if an Iredicci sings in anyway will it effect the cordis? Can Iredicci sing in a more casual way or does it always hold some kind of power? I'm assuming regardlessly they do have control over how much it effects but can it be completely nullified by the user? Thank you! āŗļø
Hi anon! If I understand correctly, youāre asking if an Iredicci can just sing normally? The answer is yes. Aestus and MC sing the dirge, after all. You have to will it to affect the cordis, to manipulate the element. You can definitely just sing for singing sake without causing a natural disaster. š
