Insurrection: HAWKS is a character-driven work of interactive fiction by Rosa Sanchez (she / her) set in a world where superpowered beings must grapple with their purpose, persecution, and promise of godhood. A world where you, and your fellow agents, may be all that stands between it and fate’s insurrection.
Insurrection: HAWKS is a character-driven work of interactive fiction set in a world where superpowered beings must grapple with their purpose, persecution, and promise of godhood. A world where you, and your fellow agents, may be all that stands between it and fate’s insurrection.
You have inherited a soul-touching power through the Gifted bloodline: more specifically, the Gift that allows you to become a blood-eating copycat. Now, you must use the ‘Gifts’ of others—or your own skill—to save the world from a delusional man and the rebellion behind him . . . all while avoiding the pitfalls of losing your heart, mind, and soul.
Warnings (prone to change): Blood / Bleeding & Minor Cutting (Not Self-Harm Related), Minor Character Death, General Violence, Prejudice / Discrimination, Abuse / Abuse of a Child (Vague, Mentioned, NPC Backstories - Not MC-related), Abduction, Sexual Content
ROs | CARDINALS | Characters of Note | Mechanics | Factions | Demo TBA | Forum TBA
These are the titles branded onto the CARDINALS. They are no strangers to the judgment of the masses. It is to be expected as a rising organization fighting for the rights, and perhaps even the supremacy, of the Gifted. They know that there is something tainted in their hearts, and something pure about their dreams. It is a common reality among their small sect of humanity: those who have been granted hereditary abilities once associated with fiction, from origins unknown. Self-possessed abilities that bear the strength to topple the world or rule it.
They are your brethren, these Gifted.
But you are not a CARDINAL.
Welcome, Agent Mockingbird, to the HAWKS!
In this sector of an international agency known as WINGS, you are to serve on the front lines of the world’s greatest threats of insurrection. Primarily, undermining and counteracting the CARDINALS at every turn.
At least, that is what your superiors (captors) hope you will do.
Are you ready to stand against the CARDINALS? You must prepare yourself to face against the personalities of the Inner Circle, as well as their own deadly Gifts. Led by a man losing his grip on humanity. Commanded by a Grim Reaper with a lost love for life. Guided by a healer with a savior complex. But the three central leaders of this rebel organization aren’t the only notable threats out there.
All eight of the Inner Circle, and an additional newcomer, stand between you and the stability of the world. And as you quickly unveil the nature of their latest plot, you may find yourself opposed to what will be humanity’s saving grace or final tragedy. Fate has written you off as a withered pawn. But fate has little say when its ethereal order falls to a dream’s insurrection.
Are you ready to stand up to—or for—the HAWKS? Will you push back against the organization, or pick fights against the agents within it? Will you embrace the WING’s cause as your own, or choose to embrace the people who serve that cause? Perhaps you’ll find love with a fellow Specialist Agent— a love that will be condemned by those who stand against your kind. Or maybe you will fall for a Supervising Agent and suffer the burden of a forbidden romance.
Every Gifted has a Gift. It’s in the namesake. Yours concerns blood-eating. Gross, and slightly creepy on paper, but it’s invaluable to your new team at Division-01. Consuming the blood of a fellow Gifted grants you a temporary possession of their own unique gift, with an added twist.
Whoever’s blood you consume connects you to their psyche, their soul. A consequence that may bring opportunity and harm depending on how you play it.
Be careful when deciding whose blood to use when in perilous danger. There may be a long-term impact from being too reliant on a specific person’s soul.
Customize your protagonist: name, gender, personality, body type, facial appearance, region of origin, tattoos and marks, former career, and more!
Choose the core emotion of your psyche: sadness, anger, fear, joy, or apathy.
Nine ROs: a regretful romantic, a shy visionary, a stern leader, a conflicted protector, a dutiful soldier, a lively wildcard, a soft-hearted hot-head, a curious tinkerer, and a lost soul.
Minor Romances: Other characters who may have an attraction towards you but, for one reason or another, will not manifest into fully committed long-term partners. Their feelings, however, may persist alongside the development of your official relationship - a troublesome predicament for some and a challenge for others.
Determine your allegiance to the CARDINALS, the HAWKS, neither, or both.
Tailor your personality! Are you a stoic optimist that’s shy yet eager to protect your friends? Or are you an honest loner with a cruel streak that’s known for their humility? Whatever feels true to you!
Wield powers once thought to be unimaginable— with the unintended consequence of tapping into the psyche of your team! But remember, there’s a chance that the Gifts of the HAWKS will not be the only ones you taste. Exercise caution where you may. Or . . . don’t. The choice is ultimately yours.
Discover the motivations behind the CARDINALS Inner Circle. Extend to some your hand in friendship, earn the respect of a few, or make the personal hit list of others. Maybe even find everlasting love with one (at your own risk). Just know that some are more dangerous to provoke than their peers.
Live by your ambition, or sacrifice your deepest wants for a new purpose (or person).
Earn the respect, friendship, contempt, or love of the HAWKS and CARDINALS - and choose whether to honor or betray these developing bonds.
Tame or Be Overcome by your Gift in accordance with its origin.
Play a hand in how Gifts are perceived and developed in those around you.
When the CARDINALS test the limits of reality and fate, you must take a stand. Be that through your friendship, your love, your desperation, your authority, your manipulation, or your bloodthirst.
View the full character profiles linked here to see Artbreeder images of an RO’s likeness, background details, and more! Below will be descriptions about the main ROs and an explanation on minor romances.
Eight of the ten fellow HAWKS on the team are available for romance. From the CARDINALS, a certain bachelor is open to finding love. Yet two other CARDINALS may find themselves open for a brief tryst, if you manage to impress or endear yourself to them enough. And another prime adversary may feel her heart vulnerable to your affection but will find the courage to deny her wants. In other words, alongside the central and typical RO cast there will also be the function of minor romances.
Non-ROs may develop an attraction towards the MC but will not be available for an established long-term relationship. Their attractions may persist after the MC has been locked into an official romance route with varying consequences. Multiple minor romances may be activated at once as well, though some require more conditions than others. Additionally, if the conditions are met by a certain point, the player will then decide whether to approve / activate the minor romances or deny them. After the player has confirmed one (or more) they can determine as the story progresses how much they reciprocate that attraction - though if locked on an official RO this might lead to some unfortunate exchanges.
Minor Romances Include:
Curadora: The right-hand of CARDINALS leadership and self-considered healer. Known for her mercy and secrecy, Curadora finds herself falling further and further from the ideal she has struggled to project for her people.
Dearil: The left-hand of CARDINALS leadership and self-declared deity of Death. Known for his cruelty and vengeance, Dearil seeks to sow destruction and chaos through the vessel of the CARDINALS—if he must advance their agenda to do this, then so be it.
Lempo: The most successful recruiter and thus a high-ranking leader within the CARDINALS. Once infamous for her fallen cult, Lempo has devoted herself to delivering as much pleasure and joy as she can to the world.
Retriever: A fallen hero, or so he declares himself to be, and a current elite soldier within the CARDINALS. Retriever sees potential for haven to the helpless within the CARDINALS and, in addition to his sense of debt to Curadora and her peers, he has decided to assist the organization as a form of personal redemption.
Bones: If you decide to establish a crush-based relationship (mutual or one-sided) with him in childhood, Bones is deeply conflicted upon his reunion with you. You, a dreaded HAWK, and he as the protege to Dearil. Old feelings resurface, and he will try desperately to have them crushed.
MAIN RO CAST:
Akil Elmahdy | M | 32 | Supervising Agent | Longer Profile Here
Your Commander in Division-01 of the HAWKS. A high-born academic that became disillusioned with the diplomatic career his parents expected him to carry on. At a young age, Akil developed a strong ideal towards the potential of the Gifted as a force for global betterment. This ambition evolved into his drive to reform the HAWKS from within to act more as a nurturing guide to Gifted talents and morals— a prime example of peaceful and cooperative Gifted-human relations. Brutal tragedy, however, cemented deep cracks in his vision. In the present, Akil is tormented between what he believes to be the reality of the Gifted and his past hopes that seem so brittle in his heart.
Akil is not the most sociable or charming personality to encounter. As a leader, he instead relies on his ability to rationalize his solutions to others and proves his trustworthiness through delivered success. Solitude is his haven, and most relationships tend to be tiresome for him. His entire life seems to be consumed by his work, leaving little room for his personal hobbies that have been uncomfortably abandoned for so long. Calculating and stern, Akil does not court popularity when it does not suit his ambitions.
Yet, come to know him more, and you will uncover a gentle reverence in his touch. A buried passion in his lectures. A shy aversion in his straying gaze. Come to love him, and Akil will fear all he has ever served. He will come to fear himself as his devotion wrangles free from his grasp until it finally breaks away to serve you above himself.
Takenaka Kamiko | F | 32 | Supervising Agent | Longer Profile Here
A renowned Supervising Agent that an unfortunate few underestimate due to her unconventional rise to the position. Kamiko has experienced first-hand the brutalities the Gifted may deliver upon the helpless. She bears the scars of her past cowardice, her ignorant hesitance, when faced with your kind. For years, she worked to ensure that her weakness could never again be exploited as it had been then. For years, she sought to defend the public from the potential horrors the organized Gifted in her nation threatened. It is unclear why she, then, transferred to the HAWKS at so late an age. While there may be no question about her capabilities, many find themselves suspicious as to her motivations for the change.
Stoic and reserved, Kamiko is a quiet mystery to most. Her presence lingers in the background, constant and vigilant as she remains watchful for the slightest threat. Those that earn her trust, perhaps even a sentiment of friendship, find themselves under her firm and undying protection. In her mind, she best serves others as an unbreakable tool to be used as long as, in the end, she can aid in creating some greater order in this dangerous world. Kamiko is prone to action before thought when lives are at stake, relying on educated assumptions to deduce the danger of a situation or person. Otherwise, in a more settled social environment, she finds herself to be overly analytical to every gesture and intonation, wary of another’s true intentions.
Under her cold surface, Kamiko deeply buries her personal desires. Truly, she wants nothing more than for the people she loves to realize their full potential of happiness—whether or not that vision of happiness includes her by their side. Self-sacrificial to a fault, she gives herself entirely without expectation for anything in return.
Sigmund R. Heinrich | M | 29 | Deadly Wind | Longer Profile Here
Born with a silver-spoon in his mouth, Sigmund deserted his groomed inheritance to pursue a freedom (or, in his words, escape) abroad. His new life would earn him a despised reputation among the Gifted as a relentless mercenary willing to do anything for a check, an accusation he would casually protest. Bathed in his ever-rising notoriety, to the point the mention of his alias alone could still a room, Sigmund startled the world with his sudden declaration of sole loyalty to Curadora. In the present, he would openly declare this to be his sole regret in life.
Betrayal scars his past and has shaped Sigmund into his current self. He is distrustful towards outsiders, overly protective of those under his guard, and masks the vulnerabilities he has. Sigmund has mellowed, or (more accurately) learned to suppress, his more cocky and aggressive tendencies since his early mercenary days. To those unfamiliar to him, he may be gruff or dismissive to avoid any close relationships. Yet, to those that have trudged their way closer to him, Sigmund reveals his more humored nature whose bluntness softens with conscious effort. Sigmund exhibits no virtue better than loyalty yet has come to be more sparing in who he gifts this to.
Recovering from a recent and disastrous engagement that imploded upon itself, Sigmund has asserted that he bears no interest in love. He has become conflicted between his yearning to free himself from all bonds that pin him beneath another's whims and his deep longing to find an attachment that is loyal and true. Others have used him, have proven their words to be brittle until broken. To withstand such a torture again . . . It would be much too soon.
Imka N. Altena | F | 23 | All-Seeing Eyes | Longer Profile Here
Imka's life prior to her capture had little to note upon with its idyllic comfort in the mundane. She filled her days with idle daydreams and vision of wondrous places always near but never to be reached. Her deepest desire for a love devoted and true with another was grand enough for her, and her trade as a seamstress was a satisfaction she would have never dared to lose. A shame it all unraveled so disastrously, dangerously, with her reported kidnapping once her father’s true nature came to light. Abducted by him to the Netherlands, Imka would survive the frantic chase that followed the shocking upheaval of her life. Despite the grief she feels towards her father's actions, she has thus far refused to aid the HAWKS with his capture.
A moment in her presence would reveal the extent of her shyness. Imka finds herself awkward around strangers and bears a constant nervousness towards how others may perceive her. Keeping to the Golden Rule, she tries to extend generous amounts of kindness to everyone she encounters . . . even when she finds herself frightened or unsettled by their presence. Sweet and naive, Imka worries over the smallest things that may inconvenience another. Oddly enough, Imka is known possess a calm and serene presence when around her friends alone in contrast to her otherwise excitable emotions.
Imka has little to no experience with romantic relationships. Much too self-conscious and shy to approach any of her interests in the past, Imka never garnered many known admirers in her youth either. Once, or perhaps it was twice, in her adolescence had she been asked on a date only to learn it was a joke being played upon her. Still, Imka holds out an optimistic ideal towards the idea of love . . . even as she becomes more and more uncertain about finding it for herself in the future.
Elouan B Roux | M | 25 | Enchanting Light | Longer Profile Here
Largely unwanted and often left to fester, Elouan quickly learned to survive by whatever means he could. In time, he came to depend upon the exploitation of those around him with an effortless charm and easing grace. Once lowly and weak, Elouan accumulated admirers and connections alike to aid in his schemes for wealth and power throughout France. he was not one to idle by in the shadows, and so Elouan capitalized upon the small and deadly bit of fame he had acquired to satisfy his ego that had been beaten and bruised so callously throughout his boyhood. Quickly, horrifically, it would all crumble to his only true love. Elouan met his freedom's end with a tired acceptance and false smile.
Elouan veils the man he used to be beneath an air of charm and grace, exercising restraint in his words and expressions with familiar expertise. A subtle confidence radiates from his frame. He employs flattery to sweeten others and executes quick wit to dethrone some. Elouan likes to keep his ambitions quiet and feigns humility when he thinks it may earn him favor. Really, Elouan tries to remain adaptable to his audience at any given moment. Yet, surprisingly, he has also come to learn to be more genuine in the company of the HAWKS, and gradually all the sentiments and emotions he has long suppressed have threatened to slip out more often than he would prefer.
Elouan had quite the reputation as a casanova in the past. Sometimes his romances where little more than shallow plows, and most carried flimsy significance in his heart. People thought it a joke when his engagement came to be, but when the truth became undeniable it shocked any that knew him. It would be this engagement that would tear down all he had built himself up to be, poisoning him until he condemned all the past behind him. Elouan keeps wary of romance now as he foresees nothing but unworthiness and destruction to come.
Jacinta “Jae” Freitas Carvalho | F | 28 | Bloody Puppetry | Longer Profile Here
Jacinta knew her life would not be an easy game from an early age, but she found herself determined to be victorious by its end (. . . . though she has yet to decide what 'winning at life' truly means for her). Raised by her maternal grandparents, the only ones that truly felt like family to her, Jae would never fully recover from discovering their gruesome deaths. Vengeance and vices distracted her from the pain that grief brought to her, and soon Jae found herself adapting to a more dangerous lifestyle to meet her wants and ends. Mere survival did not suit her tastes, and she learned to balance revenge with whatever rewards she sought.
Jae tries to not let the little things bother her, often waving aside petty responsibilities in pursuit of her own fun-loving desires. Playful and teasing, she employs her fair share of sarcastic wit and nudging charm to toy with those around her. Most sacred to her would be her sense of pride, one deeply rooted in her fierce independence.
Jae does not believe in real-life fairytales or happy endings. She laughs at the thought of being swept off her feet and has a tendency to abandon her relationships when it proves to be too serious. Following her divorce, which she bears no heartbreak over, and her on-and-off relationship with Niccolò, Jae would be content to settle with a friend rather than a supposed soulmate.
Niccolò | M | 120 | Automation Heart | Longer Profile Here
Over the years, Niccolò has gradually taught himself withhold the fact that he is—in fact—an artificial intelligence given a soul through the Gift of his inventor. A possibly immortal creation since he has yet to experience death after a century and beyond. Traveling aimlessly through the decades as a wayward vagabond had been an ideal existence for him, one made most rewarding by the characters he encountered and the lifestyles he adopted in their short-lived company. Even within his captivity among the HAWKS, Niccolò finds joy in the globe-hopping missions and diverse Gifted he may encounter . . . even if these meetings often ended in either disappointing escapes or begrudging arrests.
Curiosity and a deep desire to develop his own sense of humanity drive Niccolò to explore everything the world has to offer. In his time on the surface world, he had undertaken countless expeditions to better understand the complexities behind human temperaments. His inquisitive nature sometimes misguides him and his taste for adventure can cause unintended trouble. Niccolò simply likes to keep busy, whether it be through conversation or tinkering, as he tries to enjoy every moment given to him.
Niccolò has been told he experienced 'being in love', though he hasn't quite bought into those tales yet. To him, it is still as mysterious a notion as it had been upon his initial conception. It is one he longs to obtain, and it is one he can envision being ignited by you. You, a true fascination like none he has ever seen before.
Mutya I. Lumaban | F | 26 | Mind Projection | Longer Profile Here
Hot-headed and soft-hearted, Mutya faces the world with a set brow and vague frown. Since her earliest memories, she has remained intensely devoted to her adoptive family. She found her purpose in this world by their side as she and her elder siblings formed a rogue ‘peacekeeping’ unit with international patrols. Not quite comfortable with the title of hero, as she shirks at the thought of being a paragon or ideal for anyone, Mutya still knew in her heart that she was meant to make a difference with her life. Her induction into the HAWKS has taken a part of herself. Has taken her from all that had been familiar and safe: her family, her service, and her sense of contribution to the world.
Mutya refuses to reveal her softer side to others, one that is more sensitive than she would ever let on. Though her emotions may rise and sway with ease, she harshly guards them from those that may take advantage of them. It is with time that her compatriots learn her bark is far harsher than her bite, and that beneath her short-temper lies a heart frightened by its own empathy that may blind her from her one desire: to survive another day so she may be with her family once again. As much as she tries, a heart and soul as passionate as hers cannot always be quelled into silence. So deeply does she invest her heart into a cause, a person, or an ideal within another that Mutya sometimes finds herself blinded by a rigid single-mindedness. She is resilient, proud, and determined in all she does and accepts that she cannot cater to herself to the entire world if it means compromising what ideals and values she holds herself accountable towards.
Before her capture, Mutya afforded little time to the notion of settling down with another. Or, perhaps in truth, her reservations towards finding a romantic connection may have held roots in her fear towards opening herself up to someone that could so quickly turn around and us this to break her, to hurt her as no other could. So, she keeps her passion to herself, biding the days until she stumbles upon a miracle who makes her feel safe. Makes her feel like a human rather than a guardian or soldier.
Fyodor Kazimirovich Yahontov | M | 27 | ??? | Longer Profile Here
After confrontational dealings and questionable debate, Fyodor is happy to announce himself as the most recent (and potentially most dangerous) CARDINALS initiate. Misery and destruction stain his past, but beyond the occasional empty stare and sudden tears he will do everything he can to drown those memories with laughter and friends. Fyodor is frightened by his own mind, his own soul. He believes himself to be bestowed with a higher purpose, one he has thus far struggled to uphold. Eager for friends and a home, he hopes that the CARDINALS will appease the turmoil that has come to mark his fate.
Quick to attachment and eager to please, Fyodor proves to be a serious threat whenever he strays towards questionable company. Though he shrugs at comments on his gullible nature, he has a tendency to put his blind faith in complete strangers the same way he would with a lifelong friend. Almost childish in his easy wonder and admiration, there is a sort of innocence that contrasts harshly with the violence that has largely defined his life this far. Honest to a troublesome point, humored by the smallest things, and optimistic in dire circumstances, Fyodor has long struggled to withhold his smiles when he takes so much delight from his surroundings.
Fyodor believes deeply in the concept of soulmates. Forbidden from love by his dear friends, he has coped with his aching desire for someone to care for him in the way a soulmate does by insisting that he has yet to encounter ‘the one’. More than anything, Fyodor wants to be cherished. To have his heart entirely in another’s grasp, and to receive the entirety of his lover’s heart to cherish in return. A distant dream, yes, but it is one that comforts him greatly through the most dreadful nights.
Since it has been a year since my request, and it's almost my birthday soon. My wish for Santa is to have Bones as a full RO 😍
Jk 😆... Unless?
✧｡٩(ˊᗜˋ )و✧*｡ Happy (Early) Birthday!
(ᵕ ´ ∇ ˋ ˶) Haha, you wouldn’t believe how tempted I’ve been towards adding Bones to the roster of full ROs! I’m happy to see people still advocating for him! ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧
Alas, the logistics . . . Bones is simply not enough of a heavyweight amongst the CARDINALS for me to further force him into the narrative for a satisfying full romance. ¯_(•ω•)_/¯
His prominence in the narrative is far lesser in the beginning (to middle-ish), largely weighted in frequency and significance instead towards the latter end.
Though he has strayed far(?) from his earliest designs, Bones still clings a little to his original mini-arc as someone who rises from their status as expendable muscle to a key power player within the CARDINALS. He may stand amongst the Inner Circle in the best of times (the worst of times, some would say) but his place beside them is tenuous, and he knows this.
At the start of the story, Bones does not possess the ability, the agency, nor the power to “pursue” Mockingbird as Fyodor does, or as Curadora could (at the cost of matters greater than her heart). Instead, Bones steadily and brutally earns his stripes amongst the CARDINALS over time, garnering power in a fashion too subtle and efficient to be undermined by his enemies.
But until his efforts bear fruit, he is forced to stand at the sidelines of the show. Working in the shadows, dealing with all that is unsavory and undesired as he needles ever closer to those who truly determine destiny’s design.
So yeah, Bones being on the fringes of the main antagonist faction makes it, eh . . . Complicated for me to throughly match his presence and prominence with the other main ROs. Especially since I would be forcing Elov into the narrative more only for the fraction of players who would be interested in a full romance with him.
Plus, the main romances already have an extra male option (with Fyodor). (ᵕ—ᴗ—) The gender imbalance truly does bother me, and so I’m not too eager to upgrade another male romance to a main RO status. If anything, I’m more guilted towards the direction of reinstating Curadora to their ranks.
Yet whenever I stop to once again consider upgrading Curadora . . . The premonition of pitchforks and fury I bear hold me steadfast in keeping her as a lesser romance. My years of lurking within the COG forums and Tumblr assure me of this, haha!
It breaks my heart to veto Santa on this matter, but unfortunately I cannot let him grant this wish. (╥ ᴗ ╥)
Ah, but I do think it would have been cute to explore a true, committed relationship between Elov and Mockingbird within the main narrative. “Becca” by The Sukis and “This Modern Love” by Bloc Party always have my mind spiraling over thoughts about it, haha! (♡ˊ͈ ꒳ ˋ͈)
Hm, though his current designation as a lesser romance does (vaguely?) make me think of him whenever I listen to “Bully” by Flight to Dubai.
('''' •᷄ ᴗ •᷅ ) And apologies if you truly did send in an old ask I had yet to respond to! (If that’s what you meant by ‘it has been a year since’) I didn’t find anything similar to this in my inbox or drafts which do contain numerous ancient messages, haha! I’ve been trying to push out responses that are easier and quick for me—to little success!
Thank you for this message! I genuinely had a laugh when I got it, haha! ദ്ദി ( ᵔ ᴗ ᵔ )
I like to imagine Mockingbird and Fyodor doing the eagle death spiral together
ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧ Oh my goodness, I love the thought of that, it’s so perfect! Your mind is brilliant!
Fyodor does not care: he’ll teeter on the edge of ruin and death for you, with you, in the name of your love. Take his life, take his being, take whatever you desire—he entrusts it all to you.
So too does he long for you to do the same. To place your faith in him, to place your heart and soul in his hands; Fyodor hopes you will allow him to possess all of you just as you possess him.
Thus, he would gladly undergo a death spiral with you. And he will take immense pleasure in the thought of you entrusting your life to him.
Clinging to him, just as he is free to hold onto you. Keeping you where you belong, held in his possession, too busy adoring your visage to pay a single worried thought to death.
He knows not if his heart races more so from the adrenaline of the fall or the sight, the nearness of you as you plummet traverse from the skies to the earth.
And it doesn’t matter whether you embrace the fall—laugh, delight, retain a serene calm—or come to regret it—frightened, tearful, angrily cursing the lapse in judgement, the insanity of it. What Fyodor will remember most is that you held enough trust in him, in his care and protection over you, to carry you so high before asking to take you down with him.
He will cherish the opportunity to show you your trust is not misplaced.
Plus, with his wings and all . . . (ᵕ—ᴗ—) Seriously, if Mockingbird asked him to, he’d do it. You’re basically seducing the man with over-the-top, horribly dramatic displays of your love like this.
Fyodor has no self-control nor self-preservation whilst in love. (ᵕ • ᴗ •)
So, yes, what an extremely fitting exercise in a courtship with Fyodor, haha!
Sigmund places more value upon the actions of his lovers rather than their words, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t delighted whenever they affirm their love through a simple, “I love you.”
Still, he’s been through enough to know that sometimes “I love you” isn’t enough; that those words don’t always equate to “I choose you.”
Sigmund has rarely ever been the priority of those he loved. And as time passed, the soothing words and sweet affirmations of his loved ones could no longer mask how brittle those bonds had become, nor how scarred they had left him.
Deep in a relationship, he will learn to not question it. To not wonder late into the night if you meant it when you said you love him, or whether you merely think you do. If, when put to the test, you would stand by him above all else.
Just as he would for you.
But until then, he burdens his doubts. Waits for you to slip from his grasp, for you to realize that you do not simply want but need more than he could ever give. Questions whether your love only extends as far as his use for you, made inconvenient the moment he pulls at the leash.
So yeah, he’ll bristle early-on whenever you say those three words, partially due to your reality as HAWKS (which is what he will emphasize) but more truly because of how those words became a trinket used against him in the past. They’ll have his heart racing, sure, but Sigmund can’t bring himself to believe them with ease.
Time, trust, and trials endured will eventually reassure him that you mean what you say. That your love is equal to that which he feels for you.
And when you reach that point, he could very well see himself getting addicted to hearing you say that you love him, haha! (´ ᗜ｀)
Ah, I kinda quickly wrote out this little thing off the top of my head after receiving this message. Please forgive the poor quality!
“What is this?”
He narrows his gaze upon the scrap of paper Elouan holds out to him, his lips already twisting in confused annoyance.
“Don’t shoot the messenger, Siggy. I was asked by your darling Mockingbird to deliv—Patience!“
Try as he might, Elouan is not quick enough to prevent Sigmund from snatching the note out from his hand. It’s a miracle the brute doesn’t tear it in the process.
“What a poor, lovesick thing you’ve become! Nothing more than holding a note from them is enough to make you jealous?”
Sigmund offers the question no more than a grunt as he turns all his attention onto your message.
Written in your penmanship upon this folded little scrap lies the urgent secret . . .
Love you! ᢉ𐭩
. . . How juvenile.
“Ew, and now you’re blushing. This is almost embarrassing to watch, Siggy.”
“Shut up.”
The weak retort comes out strained through the smile he cannot seem to erase.
He pockets the note carefully, intent to keep it as a memento. And without any further acknowledgement towards Elouan, he briskly departs in search of Mockingbird, eager to show them how deeply he returns the sentiment.
Uh, I usually avoid checking this number (to keep a healthy relationship with social media), but I happened to glance upon it and . . .
I haven't the words to express the depth of my gratitude for everyone who's ever given my writing, characters, or senseless rambles even a crumb of interest, thought, or care.
Truly, the IF community has been so kind and generous, and I am so thankful for everyone who's reached out, who's kept up with me through my faults and my absences, who's always encouraged me to keep my head up and move forward.
This is an incredible milestone. And I want to thank every individual who has ever given this blog a follow, a like, a message, a mention, a bit of your time - all of it, every little bit of support, really means the world to me.
Writing is insanely vulnerable for me.
But so many people have gone out of their way to create an environment where I feel safe in sharing my stories, my ideas. I do not have such a space in my real life, so to have it here on this blog is a true blessing.
I wish I had a gift to return in celebration of this. If anyone has a request, please let me know, and I will strive to see if it is manageable to produce.
Regardless, I wish to take this time to extend my deep and plentiful well-wishes and love to everyone! Thank you for being here!
Aw, thanks so much for sharing in the joy with me, haha! ( ´ ∀ `)ノ～ ♡ I had a bit of a heart attack (the good kind) when I got the notification that someone had @ me, but I was deeply shocked and delighted by the shoutout!
In truth, I don’t feel like I deserve any sort of recognition whatsoever quite yet, but I am still unspeakably grateful for the graciousness and kindness of all who have offered their support and interest in my writing thus far!
I advise everyone to check out all the works and authors recommended on that list! It’s super cool to see such support and camaraderie in the IF community through moments like that. And thank you once again @justgetoutmyhead for kindly including me!
No one can rule alone.
Those who supported you as you claimed the throne remain by your side; those who stood against you may yet still live. Who you choose to love, how you decide to treat them, and whether your values are aligned will have far-reaching consequences.
Strengthen your rule, forge new alliances, or risk losing what matters most.
The choice, and the kingdom, are yours.
Create and customize your character: male or female; gay, straight, or bisexual.
Customize the world state using decisions from Arcadie: Second-Born.
Continue your romance begun in Arcadie: Second-Born.
Rejoin Cyril, your betrothed; return to Will, your most loyal commander; or get in bed with your enemy—literally.
Sign treaties or deal in poison. Rekindle friendships or double-cross your allies. Unearth long-forgotten secrets best left well alone.
Save and load your progress at any time. You can rewind and change your choices. Reach different endings by making decisions that will shape the future of your kingdom.
—
Today’s the day. The full version of Arcadie II: Cold Lands is finally ready for you to play!
The game is 20% off for launch week. You can also grab the bundle with Arcadie: Second-Born for an additional discount.
I truly hope you'll enjoy playing Arcadie II: Cold Lands as much as I enjoyed making it.
This is such a sick concept! I went from mild intrigue to really interested to super excited about the premise and the planned features. Definitely keeping a close eye on this one and good luck with putting it all together.
I'm so glad to have caught your interest with this story, and I sincerely hope to keep it! (✿･ ◡ ･)❤ And thank you for the wish of luck!
(´･ω･`)? . . . I never did learn what this meant, haha!
Apologies for the year delay of this reply! I think this might have been a bit of a trend at the time? o(´д｀o) Sorry, I’m hopelessly clueless over here.
Please let me know what’s gone over my head with this though! I feel bad not having a proper reply for your message.
Regardless, I hope everyone has a joyful month! Or, at least, as joyful as we may make it in times of great tension and strife. Best wishes!
(♡ˊ͈ ꒳ ˋ͈) Thank you so much! This is so sweet to see!!
Ah, I told my family that (work-wise) I have lived past the apocalypse (June 12) and am now scrounging through the wasteland of the aftermath, haha! Now my next two weeks will be occupied with numerous furious phone calls, but at least I know I did my best to mitigate the fallout. ദ്ദി( ᵕ ╥ ᴗ ╥) And my illness mysteriously seemed to stretch out past the usual two weeks into three throughout it all . . . Might’ve been due to the stress, haha!
On the bright side, I am near certain I have no further need for (unpaid) work days on the weekend anymore. ✧｡٩(ˊᗜˋ )و✧*｡ I’ve been trying to see Backrooms for three weekends in a row, and each time I had to forfeit my plans for additional time in the office. Writing did stall due to my hectic schedule (with my days oftentimes affording little more than two hours between work, daily tasks, and then the call of sleep) but I can already feel the ease now that the worst has been wrought.
I’m excited to really get back on track with writing, though I do blanch a little whenever I take a peek at my code again, haha! (Kidding! . . . Kinda.)
I hope you are also doing well too! I truly do appreciate the kindness and appreciation of your message! ⸜( ´ ꒳ ` )⸝
I love how in depth you go in your world building and the characters themselves. It reminds me of this one IF author I can’t remember the name of their IFs unfortunately but just reading every minute detail about the world and their ROs was just as good as if I actually already played the IF. Sadly the author developed cancer and went to live their life (as they should) but I think their IF blogs might still be up.
Just in case others know which IFs I’m talking about
1. Is about an MC who is a Vampire God that the supernatural world thought vanished or maybe died but in actuality they were buried in a cave or something? This is more like supernatural courtly intrigue.
2. Is about an MC who was born between the Queen of Atlantis and a scholar. The King had the Queen and Scholar killed for their affair and had MC along with a few others experimented on to find a way for the King to become immortal (because he was power hungry but also infertile) but the experiment backfired by giving MC and the other subjects immortality AND powers which they used to destroy Atlantis. MC lived in outer space for thousands of years while the other subjects stayed on earth and were revered as Gods. Those subjects had kids and fast forward to the present the modern world is full of superheroes/villains and that’s around the time MC goes back to earth.
3. Is about a MC that was literally created and birthed in a lab to be a super soldier for some government agency thats fighting a war with 2 other international government agencies but MC is like the top of the food chain because they were made to be able to wield the power of Chaos that all these agencies have been trying to get their hands on for years to turn the tides in their favor. 
Hopefully there are people out there who know what IF blogs I’m talking about, maybe someone will be inspired by this Author and create something amazing.
I’m so sorry to hear about this author’s decline in health, and pray they have peace and healing, wherever they may be now.
Apologies, I am not familiar with these IF concepts, but I’m happy to see that they’ve left a strong emotional impact on you.
If you need help identifying the name of these concepts (or their respective blog[s]) with the aid of the greater IF community, I’d recommend reaching out to @interact-if who can signal boost your search (though apologies once again for the redundancy of my advice if you have tried this before).
It is a kind sentiment to hope others are similarly impacted and inspired by their work, and I hope all they have written and shared is continuously appreciated as well.
I do have one concept that was in the running to be turned into an IF (but was beat out by Insurrection) which concerns supernatural court intrigue. Eh, or maybe fantasy(?) or mythological(?) courtly intrigue is more accurate? I’ll paste some blurb-esque stuff I’ve written out elsewhere regarding it below the cut for the sake of those uninterested. But I simply thought it reminiscent since the MC’s patron divine is considered “long-dead” (or as close to death as a deity of their power can be), and the MC must mask their true nature and intentions to infiltrate a foreign court. Magic and intrigue were large elements in the narrative.
I’m doubtful much else is similar enough (or quality enough) to match up to this author’s work though, but in case anyone wishes to glimpse a few more details:
In Faith, Your Beauty
A dark romance in a world as worn as it is wondrous, nestled within an Empire built upon desire and deceit. A cast of puppets to animalistic gods, determined to deliver their corruptible ambitions at the cost of ruin.
You are the Heretic. Born to the fallen, herald to the rightful and forbidden. You are the last bastion, the culminated hope, of the undying Wolf-Raven whose name is poison upon modern tongues.
These traitorous zealots—liars and lovers—would kill you for your faith. How quickly those who plea for your touch would paint their pretty halls and lips with your tainted blood.
Yet you know your secrets are not alone.
Savior. Healer. Teacher. You’ll play their petty games so long as this dance draws in your prey.
Savage. Harlot. Traitor. You’ll wear their cursed names so long as Ulfrafhn’s blessings keeps their knives at bay.
(Brainstormed 2018)
General Theme: Roma Fade by Andrew Bird and Tiny Gods by Shayfer James
General Romance Theme: Howl by The Family Crest
General Tropes / Themes / Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Forbidden Love, Intrigue, Mythology?
Essentially, you are the last priest(ess) of the Wolf-Raven, who was banished by Paveck (the Peacock) from the heavens and earth to eternally rot after a cosmic revolution against the bloody tyrant centuries ago. But your father has freed the Wolf-Raven from their prison, and has raised you to be the key to their dominance once again.
Under the instruction of the Wolf-Raven, you infiltrate the Wisterian court (heart of the empire that adheres to Paveck) with the task of “birthing a vessel for the Wolf-Raven from the Crown Prince(ess)”.
You are the Heretic. Foreign, untrusted “mage” from a land fallen and diseased. Renowned for your unparalleled beauty (either real or artificial through magic, a secret kept from all but those you choose to tell) and burdened with a divine task.
The last Disciple of the Wolf-Raven. Surrounded by the divines who tore them down, their servants, their descendants—all who would despise your true nature and faith.
Your opportunity comes when the Crown Prince(ss) becomes afflicted with a mysterious “ailment” kept secret from the masses, upending their coronation. A council of representatives from across the greater realm (bearing various patron divines allied to Paveck) are summoned to safeguard against aid the Cursed Heir (their new moniker amongst the common folk) through this time of great suffering and uncertainty.
But you know the truth of this disease.
And you alone may be the cure that awaits them.
Beneath the guise of a healer, a teacher, whatever role you may take to slip through the cracks of the palace, you petition to take the Cursed Heir under your care.
But threats await you behind every corner.
Death is but a promise following a single misstep.
The Cursed Heir eyes you with a hunger they have never known before.
Cerulean lurks in your every shadow, armed with a smile too wide and a blade behind their back.
Delgado knows not the danger you possess, innocent and naive as they seek your hand.
And the Scholar rattles their cage, forced to remain at your beck and call lest the Crown Prince(ess) takes their head.
Rumors were a key mechanic, and the MC would have had two available personality sets (the true version of them and the one they displayed to the world | the court). Plus, magic that varied based on whether you aligned more with the Wolf or Raven aspect of your patron.
There were four main RO(s), who I have not yet fully re-worked as gender selectable (so all names have not yet been chosen for both variants). Below is the gist of them without too much detail that’d take too much time, haha!
The Cursed Heir — Crown Prince(ss) — The Target
Romance Theme(s): Stalker’s Tango by Autoheart and I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE by Manėskin
General Theme(s): Skalds & Shadows by Blind Guardian
Romance Theme(s): Perspective by Polite Fiction
Romance Tropes: Forced Proximity, First Love, Servant/Master, Enemies to Lovers
Eye of Mind, Visage Through Time
Abandoned Outside Master’s Prime
To Breathe And Love A Selfish Crime
Ambition, Desire: A Destined Demise
And here’s another spiel about the romances I wrote elsewhere long ago:
Romantic Interests
As a disclaimer: Near all romances in this book would have been allowed to enter some darker realms, to the point of becoming detrimental, unhealthy, or ruinous for either or both parties. The MC had the freedom to purposefully manipulate the affection of the ROs for their own advantage. They could even encourage their partners to become worse versions of themselves . . . or condemn them to a horrible fate out of selfishness, ambition, or mere amusement. Cruelty, possessiveness, jealousy, and betrayal were all on the table for the Heretic and their (possible) lovers.
Furthermore, this concept would not have a traditional lock-in point with the ROs. This game would allow the MC to develop romantic attachments with all the ROs simultaneously . . . though this arrangement isn’t traditional polyamory. The ‘lock-in’ would instead be split into two factors for each RO: 1.) whether the MC allows a ‘romantic’ relationship to fully develop with an RO and 2.) if so, whether that romantic affection is genuine or fabricated on their part. Be wary of playing with an ROs heart too much! Passion and desire tend to make fools of everyone, and the antics of a lovestruck suitor can sometimes promise more harm than good.
These ROs are not polyamorous. If the Heretic holds more than one genuine romance, expect a mess. ROs like Cerulean and Kevalin are tolerant towards the Heretic’s romantic deception of others (though not entirely pleased by it, for different reasons)— you’ll receive more extreme reactions from Delgado and the Heir if your other romantic relations are fully unveiled / disclosed (even if they’re meaningless to the Heretic). The mainline game won’t have any official poly pairing, but maybe something could survive with Heir + Cerulean (V-Triad? super unhealthy as the Heir runs the show), Delgado + Kevalin (V-Triad, with shaky peace), or Cerulean + Delgado (V-Triad, with a lot of quiet bitterness . . . maybe this could become a throuple if given enough years and encouragement) in the epilogue stages. Not the happiest dynamic for anyone in these pairings!
No graphic design skill needed, you only need Canva and a dream and hopefully no AI
My relationship with Canva began as frenemies, and now it’s a horribly toxic relationship of madness and dependency. (╥﹏╥)
In other words, I sucked at it when I first began to use it years ago. (´∀｀) And now, I still suck at it whilst also being so embarrassed and frustrated by its shift towards generative AI “toolsets and assistance” but I haven’t a clue how to use anything else. ¯\_ (ᵕ—ᴗ—)_/¯ At least all the AI elements are avoidable, but it’s still pesky to have it hovering around every corner.
But yeah, I have thought about using Canva for relationship charts before, yet with me at the helm . . . They’ll probably be so chopped, haha!
My family always joke that my sisters took all the artistic talent and left none for me (or my brother, but most specifically, me). On the other hand, my brother and I lean more towards an interest in writing and storytelling, though he still has a greater draw to visual art (through film) while I know my place and keep away from any and all visual design.
Ah, I’ve shared some stuff I’ve created with Canva on this blog and my personal one @currentexistence, and one can surely tell my eye for design is rather shoddy, haha!
Hm, I did dabble with it last night though (after receiving this message). And as I feared . . . It’s painful to the eyes, haha! Since there’s so many characters, I figured the only manageable way to get it done would be creating one chart per character, and got this far before I realized it was past 2:00am and needed to sleep (to prep for more weekend office work):
Blue: Uncertain Relations, (Near) Strangers, Forming Opinion and Nature of Their Bond
Aha, I’d make some of these lines ombre if I could. It's hard to capture the complex feelings some of these characters hold towards one another in this format, but a relationship chart is meant to be the simple bare-bones (“the gist of it”). I probably won’t dabble with this too much further any time soon, but at least I have some (horrible, messy) sense of a layout for it.
Also, please don’t hold any of the images used as canon 1-to-1 accuracy for character appearances! I kinda just scrounged around Pinterest for things reminiscent of the characters (vibes, looks, etc.) to use as representation.
（ﾉ´∀`）Thank you for the encouragement to try my hand at it nevertheless!
it’s interesting how diverse the characters are with unique motivations and wants. It was fascinated that the “golden” retriever was actually a hero. Also love the pun. Retriever seems like a sweet guy.
(´∀｀) I’m so glad you find them interesting!
And yeah, there’s a lot of drama politics within the CARDINALS due to the array of ambitions, loyalties, moral codes, and agency amongst its members. [I wish I had the savvy in graphic design to make (a) relationship chart(s) for the CARDINALS, haha!] I really wanted their organization to be a melting pot of various stances a Gifted might take in response to their treatment from the world, informed by their personal experiences and their individual gifts.
And then the HAWKS would present the flip side of the coin for how a Gifted may cope with their nature, and what it has wrought for them.
Pride and shame, embracement and restraint.
Liberation and its cost. Control and its toll.
When I first drafted the idea of the CARDINALS and HAWKS in late middle school / early high school(?), I had wanted neither side to be entirely in the right, bearing their own forms of harm that their principles permitted (and, perhaps, bred). Neither would hold a true moral high ground, nor an infallibility, an unchallengeable righteousness. But that’s not to say I am against anyone feeling aligned with either side! Sometimes one must accept the cons with the pros, or pick the lesser of two evils.
And yes, Retriever is a sweet guy . . . Most of the time. (´∀｀)
Not that he’s two-faced or anything, haha! He is genuinely well-intentioned in near all aspects of life, and his humble compassion is no act. But it can be tiring, sometimes.
The perfection. The niceties. The endless giving and hesitation to take, always aware of what others may think of him. Retriever wants so badly to be liked, to be accepted and held as the standard (if not far above), that he sometimes struggles to tell what’s the real him and what’s a front (masking all he keeps under the surface).
He’s broken under the pressure before. Lived a life a little more selfish and paid the price. Tried to lean on other things that eased the strain of all he held himself to be and, though he never descended into a character callous or hateful or malicious, he knew he caused hurt to those he should have cared about most.
There are few people Retriever feels like he can always be true and loose with. His family, perhaps, though he knows he keeps a lot of truths about himself a secret from them. Lempo, yes, because she doesn’t judge, doesn't kiss and tell—doesn’t leave any room for him to question his guilt or desires, to second-guess himself. And a particular ex(-situationship), the “one who got away”, now just an occasional friend-with-benefits he knows he should keep away from but can’t.
It’s with them Retriever can allow himself to no longer be Retriever, or a Charbonneau, and just become another face in the crowd. Unpolished, unbothered, and a little self-centered.
So, yeah, he’s sweet like 99% of the time! Just don’t let him hang out with Lempo or his ex too long . . . Retriever slips into some old, bad habits whenever he goes out with them. Curadora, for one, does not like the outcome of their influence on him—and her open distaste for it only feeds into her rivalry with Lempo.
Aha, I think this song is far more fitting for different duo (and possible V-poly) in another IF concept of mine, but Retriever and Lempo hanging out together somewhat reminds me of HOES DEPRESSED by THOT SQUAD (the vibes of it, at least):
Regardless, even when Retriever does snap, he’s still a lot better than some of the company he keeps, haha!
Oh, and I’m really happy to hear you like his alias as a hero! Golden Retrievers are great family dogs (like the family-oriented Armend), and are commonly selected as for work, hunts, and service (reminiscent of Armend’s diligence in helping others, providing for them). Plus, they’re largely perceived as harmless by the public, despite their large size and strength.
Retriever is a little bittersweet over his career as a hero. He only really entertains in-depth talk about it with Curadora these days, and Bones too (though that’s mostly just him dodging and laughing off the jabs and snide remarks from Elov). Any talk of it with Scales devolves into them letting loose their inner mega-fan and gushing over Retriever’s past, and Retriever is stuck trying to awkwardly accept their praise whilst looking for a polite exit. Hopscotch only ever bothers to ask on behalf of Scales, not really caring who Armend was or what he did prior to his time with the CARDINALS.
Everyone else is the CARDINALS, uh . . . The conversations wouldn’t be very productive, for various reasons. And Retriever is fine with that.
The less he thinks about it, the less he might feel the scars that remain from those days.
Thanks so much for this message! |˶˙ᵕ˙ )ﾉﾞAnd sorry for the off-track rambling, haha!
Does she always have a soft spot for Mockingbird or does it only happen if Mockingbird romances her ?
You say she’s a minor RO, what exactly does that entail ? Is it like a will they won’t they situation or is it more of a fling where both parties know they have something deeper but can’t actually ever be together ?
( ´ ∀ `)ノI always love to see Curadora appreciation!
Does she always have a soft spot for Mockingbird or does it only happen if Mockingbird romances her ?
Eh, to an extent? (・ω・｀)
When you first meet face-to-face as adversaries, Curadora will harbor guilt over the pain her command (her lack of control over those put in her care) has caused Mockingbird (who, as far as she yet knows, may be an unwilling | forced participant in this fight). Pity, sympathy, and shame shall loosen her tongue and soften her treatment towards you for a short time.
And it is not as though she intends to let you remember all that will be said and shared between you. So, for that brief moment in time, she will allow herself to be vulnerable and (mostly) honest with Mockingbird in hopes of soothing their fears and, ideally, enticing their trust towards her.
From there, Curadora’s favor becomes dependent on Mockingbird’s actions and attitudes like normal, and such a “soft spot” would have to be (re-)earned through your friendship, romance, or alignment in your desires.
Romance isn’t necessary for her to feel especially vulnerable and affectionate towards someone. She already bears a soft spot for multiple (but not all, never all) individuals within the CARDINALS, and two within the HAWKS. If she does develop a similar sentiment towards Mockingbird as well, it will be with immense reluctance and regret.
She does not wish for you to become another weakness of hers. For her sake, and yours.
She believes it would be kinder to not let you hope for something more from her. More than her mercy, her friendship, or her trust.
Her heart cannot be allowed to belong herself.
And never can she allow it to belong to you.
And yet, despite her affirming this to herself again and again, a romanced Curadora will falter and fail to take back the fallout of her desire.
Is it like a will they won’t they situation or is it more of a fling where both parties know they have something deeper but can’t actually ever be together ?
In-universe, it’s more so the latter.
Curadora prioritizes the welfare of her people and their cause above the desires of her heart. She will do what must be done, even if it means she may lose you in the process.
Retriever cannot abandon those who have put their faith in him, nor can he abandon the dream for which he has bled all these years. If you’ll still have him when all is said and done, then he’ll be yours. But not until then.
Lempo does not desire monogamous commitment with Mockingbird, or anyone. She will not hold you in higher importance then her other lovers—though she may keep you a little closer than the rest, depending on a certain choice.
Bones cannot relinquish his hatred and beliefs with ease. It’ll be a long time before he’s well enough to truly devote himself to a relationship with you.
Dearil has ambitions to see through. But if you romance him, he’s assured that he’ll be the one to have you in the end. He won’t allow anyone else to take what is his.
Mishka . . . Uh, well, you could make a romance with them last. Not without consequence though. But until then, their desires are complicated, and reigned in for Fyodor’s sake.
In gameplay, minor romance means that a character is not a full-fledged RO. Their romance will have less content than the main ROs, and an actual (committed, developed, in-depth) relationship with them is highly unlikely (until, maybe, the epilogue stage, depending on various factors). Since their romances are so short-changed compared to the main ROs, they can be romanced alongside your main lock-in RO.
So, for example, even if someone is locked into a romance with Kamiko, Curadora could still harbor romantic sentiments over Mockingbird.
Or someone locked into a relationship with Niccolò could have had a fling / romantic tension with Retriever in the past (prior to the lock-in), and Retriever still won’t be fully over it even when you’re with Niccolò.
Ah, and for extreme drama, one could be locked-in with Fyodor whilst still being desired by Lempo, Bones, Curadora, Dearil, Retriever, and Mishka—ensuring every gathering of the CARDINALS is guaranteed to be as awkward and tense as possible, haha! ദ്ദി ˉ꒳ˉ )✧
In other words, while you may be committed to another, anyone you have a minor romance with will still pursue you . . . in accordance with their character. For example, a romanced Curadora will not intrude upon your relationship in the same way a romanced Lempo will! (ᵕ ´ ∇ ˋ ˶)
I do not plan to allow Mockingbird to full on cheat with the other romances if they’re locked-in with a main RO. I’m inclined to let them toe the line, but, uh . . . I’m rather reluctant to let Mockingbird full-on two-time their committed partner beyond the lock-in point. It’s all free game before the lock-in, but the reigns will tighten afterwards.
It’d just be a lot of variance in checking whether your main RO finds out + whether or not they could ever forgive you (or be convinced to take you back) otherwise.
Like, Imka would definitely crumble, forsake any shred of her dignity, and take you back after cheating on her. And the thought of your infidelity would haunt her throughout every second of the day, your every absence drawing out the anguished acceptance that another might be fulfilling all she cannot in that very moment.
Elouan could be “convinced” to take you back, but he would constantly be seeking out the perfect opportunity to deal you the exact same amount of hurt you gave him— and even when he got ‘even’ with you, it still would not be enough. Toxicity and resentment would never leave the relationship entirely afterwards (despite him still loving you, and being unable to fully walk out on you, if you cheated deep into the romance.)
Sigmund would crash out. Immediate break-up, and never again will you be on civil terms. Just an absolutely ugly split he’ll pretend to heal from, though the scar festers long after.
So on and so forth. Plus, different main ROs would have some variance in their reaction depending on who you cheated with. It’s just too much in terms of additional variables, coding, and scenes.
A player who doesn’t lock-in a main romance, however, will have more liberty in entertaining the interest of / pursuing the other ROs (like Curadora).
I’ve detailed this elsewhere (I cannot recall exactly where, though perhaps I’ll link the specific posts in the future), but the whole minor romance system was created because of Curadora.
Context: Insurrection was first thought up as a non-interactive premise back when I was in middle school and evolved far from its initial concept over the years. But, across all of those years, Curadora persisted as the central protagonist.
When I thought to dip my toes in the realm of IF writing, I felt Insurrection had the most fleshed-out and versatile set-up for an interactive story (out of a selection of three or four pre-existing concepts I had to choose from). Alas, as I tried to rework it into an IF, I found myself unable to turn Curadora into a blank slate, fully customizable character who could act as the player vessel (for various reasons beyond pure sentiment). The story simply didn’t work as it was originally meant to.
So, Mockingbird was created as a new character for players to embody, and their ensemble supporting cast was switched over to the HAWKS (who, previously, were antagonists). This left the majority of the HAWKS as viable ROs for Mockingbird (due to their proximity), but I had wanted to include the opportunity for an antagonist romance as well.
Thus, I had at first thought to make Fyodor and Curadora full ROs for Mockingbird to keep the (then) gender balance with the available romances (4 male and female HAWKS, 1 male and female CARDINAL). But . . . The closer I came to making this idea public, the more worried I became that some may (one day, down the line) feel, uh, snubbed(?) by Curadora’s romance. A certain inevitable plot point just made her route feel lesser(?).
The possibility of blindsiding players who wholly committed themselves to Curadora and invested so much gameplay into her romance left me nervous about possible outrage or backlash (as I recalled similar reactions to a vaguely similar case before in another WIP IF).
So, I reassigned Curadora to be a disclosed lesser romance. Available, but less viable as a true all-out romance in comparison to the other ROs. Less content, a harder commitment. Players could now enjoy a taste of romance with Curadora without being locked-in with her once that plot point arose.
And with such a subsection of romance created, it seemed a waste to not utilize it further. I had already been teasing the idea of allowing Mockingbird to have flings with Lempo and Retriever (as it was fitting for their characters) so I expanded their flings into a minor romance like Curadora’s.
Bones, being a possible person of importance in Mockingbird’s past, also got upgraded to a minor romance since I liked the potential of that romance’s angst and drama. And then an old concept with Dearil (back in Insurrection’s non-interactive days) inspired me to let him be a red-flag amongst the minor romances—therefore letting players sample what his ‘romance’ would be like in safer doses.
Other CARDINALS were not viable due to their personalities, desires, existing commitments / interests, and etc. I’d have been more adamant about keeping the gender balance by adding Kalyna and Boar otherwise but, eh, I just couldn’t bring myself to force that.
（´∇｀''）Apologies for getting so sidetracked, haha! I’d recommend checking through the tags #minor RO, #ro, or #mc for further information as they may lead to other posts discussing all of this. I’m running on so little sleep that I fear I may be blind to my own incoherence at the moment, haha!
