While this is not the first commission I've completed on VGen, it certainly is the first spicy oneโ and I'm really happy with how it turned out and the commissioner trusting me to deliver on what they were looking for with our charming Harlequin :3c
So behold! I have a feeling that I will be learning a lot about the intricate details of proper sound effects and crafting a good soundscape for these types of audios (and also how to pronounce Portuguese better...). It is genuinely a lot of fun to do! :D
Credits:
SFX: OpenNSFW Sound Pack
The Freak Circus ( @nekoboydreams / @freakcircusofhorrors )
Want to commission me for custom audio, voiceover or ASMR? Go check out my VGen page!
I couldn't stop thinking about the information regarding the circus members' homelands, so I thought it would be a good idea to look into this matter. We have approximate locations of where they were born and spent some of their childhood (AMA2 part 13 1/2):
ยท Jester โ Central-West region, closer to the north
ยท Ticket taker โ Northeast region
ยท Doctor โ North region
ยท Harlequin โ Central-West region, near the southeast
ยท Pierrot โ Southeast region
ยท Columbina โ South region
We know that Pierrot's favorite sweet is brigadeiro. According to the internet, they first appeared in 1946. This implies that at that time, they had not yet left Brazil.
Monsters are long-lived โ this is a known fact for us. Judging by biology, species that live long usually mature slowly. But since their exact lifespan is unknown, it's difficult to determine how slow this process might be. I think they could have been born around 1880โ1900.
At that time, Brazil was experiencing the decline of the empire and the birth of the republic: slavery was abolished in 1888, and the monarchy fell in 1889. This was an era of the coffee boom in the southeast, mass influx of European immigrants, and severe droughts in the northeast (the Great Drought of 1877โ1879), which drove people deeper into the country.
Given that they most likely lived far from cities and hadn't yet begun moving around actively, here are their probable "hometowns":
1. Jester โ northern part of the province of Mato Grosso (Central-West region, closer to the north)
This is a region of arid savannas and swampy plains. At that time, there were practically no large cities โ only rare missions and forts. Life here was extremely wild. Getting injured in a clash with indigenous people or from a wild animal was commonplace.
2. Ticket taker โ Pernambuco or Bahia (Northeast region)
This is the heart of the sugar industry. Even if he lived far from cities, he most likely grew up near an engenho (sugar plantation with a mill). This region had long been a "hot spot" โ uprisings occurred here even before the characters' supposed birth, and the abolition of slavery in 1888 created chaos and violence. Life was unsafe and filled with brutal events.
3. Doctor โ Parรก (mouth of the Amazon) (North region)
His homeland could have been Belรฉm or surrounding settlements. At that time, it was the main port on the Amazon, surrounded by impenetrable jungles. It was here that tropical diseases (malaria, yellow fever) were widespread, and local healers possessed unique knowledge of poisons and medicines from the jungle. If Doctor witnessed something like this in his childhood, his draw to medicine might be even stronger than a simple hobby.
4. Harlequin โ southern Goiรกs or northern Minas Gerais (Central-West region, closer to the southeast)
This is an area of the "gold cycle". By the end of the 19th century, the gold had nearly run out, leaving behind many abandoned villages and mines. Harlequin is perhaps a child of the "gold rush" and the poverty that followed. His surroundings โ ruins of baroque churches and impoverished prospectors.
5. Pierrot โ Sรฃo Paulo or southern Minas Gerais (Southeast region)
These are the cold, forested mountains (Serra do Mar). In the late 19th century, coffee culture was actively developing here, attracting thousands of immigrants. Life was harsh (cold nights, dense forests), and the population was withdrawn. People from these parts were considered gloomy and taciturn.
6. Columbina โ Santa Catarina or Rio Grande do Sul (the pampas) (South region)
This is a region of gaucho cattle herders. At that time, southern Brazil was a "wild west" โ wars with the Spanish and local tribes took place here, and later civil conflicts (for example, the Federalist Revolution of 1893โ1895). The damp climate and constant migrations could well explain her weak health and frequent illnesses in childhood. Rheumatism and pulmonary diseases were especially common.
Later, as we know, the members began to move more actively and eventually encountered each other. The characters' meetings suggest that they traveled along the "Gold Route" and cattle trails.
โถPierrot and Harlequin โ They could have met in Minas Gerais. Pierrot came from the mountains (Sรฃo Paulo) in search of a better life (or fleeing cruelty), while Harlequin was descending from the exhausted gold mines. The meeting could have happened on the road leading to Rio de Janeiro โ not in the city itself, but on its outskirts. For those hiding from people, this was an ideal place for a chance encounter: dense forests, abandoned trails, and many who traveled at night.
โถJester and Doctor โ Most likely, Jester (from Mato Grosso) moved north or northeast, fleeing danger and escaping from a colony he had ended up in (AMA2 part 15 2/2). Doctor (from Belรฉm) could have sailed down the Amazon or moved toward the center of the country in search of medicines. It is quite likely that they met at the border between jungle and savanna. The fact that Doctor nursed Jester back to health may point to a very close connection that we have yet to see in the future.
And, returning to the mention of a colony... In 19th-century Brazil, there were several types of places of forced isolation:
leper colonies โ mainly in port cities (Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco)
psychiatric hospitals โ the first appeared in Rio in 1852
penal colonies โ for example, on the island of Fernando de Noronha off the northeastern coast
quilombos (settlements of escaped slaves) โ most often in the northeast (Bahia, Pernambuco)
All of these institutions were located on or near the coast. Official authority barely reached Mato Grosso, where Jester possibly grew up. But that's precisely the point: in such a remote area, almost anyone could create a "colony" as they saw fit. No laws, no inspections โ just a gun, a few subordinates, and the superstitious fear of neighbors.
Remember the Nazi concentration camps of the Second World War? Keep them in mind when thinking about Jester's past, because I am certain โ since his stay in that "colony" did not end well for him... Well, you can imagine what was done to monsters and the like there.
โถColumbina and Ticket taker โ If Columbina was often ill, her path may have led northeast (to Bahia or Pernambuco) โ to "the waters" or to healers, as it was believed that a warmer, drier climate cured "chest diseases". Ticket taker, on the contrary, may have fled uprisings and economic crisis southward. Their meeting could have occurred in the center of the country (possibly in Bahia).
We should not forget the context of that era. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, child mortality in Brazil was appalling. Many children died from gastroenteritis due to coarse food (cassava porridge or beans) and poor sanitation.
If Columbina survived despite her weak health โ it is a miracle. Monsters are not susceptible to many human diseases, but as we know, poor nutrition is quite harmful for them.
If Jester survived severe injuries without proper antibiotics โ then Doctor is either a genius healer or used barbaric methods (cauterizing wounds with hot iron was common practice). It is quite likely that Jester's body still bears traces of injuries sustained in childhood.
Also, do not forget the lack of infrastructure. There were almost no roads, so traveling across Brazil took months. All the circus characters are essentially wanderers by force, driven only by what they were born as. Pierrot mentioned that he and his parents moved often "when something happened". But even if they are monsters, that does not mean such moves came easily. The fact that all of them met and went together suggests that the world of their homelands was too cruel to stay there โ and certainly too cruel to continue the journey alone.
Finally, I would like to return to brigadeiro. If by 1946 the Ringmaster had already been killed and the members began running the show on their own, then this sweet could have become for them a symbol of a new life and freedom. Brigadeiro is often served at parties and birthdays. So, theoretically, Pierrot could have come to love this sweet because it can be shared among family, celebrating a happy occasion.
Hello Destiny! Hope your doing ok and didn't go bald! ๐ฅฐ
What is some love/dating/relationship advice the tfc cast would give to someone when asked?
And i mean like GENUINE advice, they are being very honest
LOL what I love about you asking for genuine answers is that the genuine answers are the FUNNIEST ONES <3333 HELL YEA
How would each circus member give love/dating advice to someone who asked?
Pierrot: โWellโฆ.w-why would you askโme, my dearest? Do youโ? Are youโ? Ah, well, yesโฆwellโฆ.I-Iโd say that if you like this person, you should get to know themโฆ.everything about them. What their hobbies are, favorite foods, the type of bedding they use, make sure they get home safe after work, watch how they drool on their pillow at nightโahโsorry, my dear, are you alright? You look rather pale?โ
Harlequin: โOh? Love advice? And you came to me first? Iโm flattered. However, Iโm more of a โhands onโ sort of teacher. So, if you are willing, why donโt we sit in a dark corner over there and Iโll show you exactly how to make the one you love scream your name in pleasure~โ
Doctor: โLove is a chemical reaction, often associated with high serotonin. I could make something that will give your chosen partner this feeling, though there may beโฆ..some side effects later on. You didnโt want children, right?โ
TicketTaker: โWhy would you be asking me such a thing, human? Go buy them flowers or chocolates, isnโt that how your kind mate? So easily drawn inโฆโ
Jester: โโฆ.I fail to see how this concerns me. This feels like something you should ask The Pierrot. He would be moreโฆ.amenable to such banal requests.โ
Here we are! May has been a weird month full of ups and downs, but let's look at the highlights and celebrate the positives while reflecting on the negatives!
We've lowered the price of our mainย Patreonย tier, from 12 EUR to 9,50 EUR, as we've made some adjustments to the benefits considering we have to save up as much as possible while still making our Patreon worthwile!
Despite everything that went on in May, I think we've been quite productive this month, so let's see what we've been up to!!
This month, Raquel finished Valor's expressions, therefore, that means all the sprites for Amon's first chapter are ready to go! This week I'll be preparing Madam Ejdo's moodboard so we can begin with the concept art phase, and I'm so excited! :^)
We also worked along with Nanda (@/TioTitulo on Twitter and Instagram!) in our last Patreon exclusive illustration until further notice. It's sad to know it will be a while until we can afford to work with fellow artists to offer you Patreon folks some high quality goodies, but we hope things go well for us so we can bring the special illustrations back. For now, we say goodbye with a beautiful piece!
This month, Airyn finished the Golden Palace's main hallway background and started working on the main street of the Mitari district! Most likely, she'll switch gears and work on some minor backgrounds or an entirely new one, as she has found herself a bit burnt out with this one background in particular. Sometimes you need to move on to something else and then go back to the previous one to see it with fresh eyes and tackle it with a different mindset, so for now this background will stay like this until Airyn finds the strenght to finish it completely. Don't worry, there are many backgrounds to work on still!
Also, Raquel and I finished polishing Amon's carriage, and this is the complete version our folks at Certified Limbanian and above can see in our Chapter 1 sneak peek! Raquel will also take a look at the hallway background to give it the finishing touches, so we hope we can share the final version with y'all soon!
The writing department is going full speed! I've been extremely inspired and in the zone lately, so I have been able to consistently write almost every day. Amon's chapter 2 is sitting at 35 pages now (almost 10k words), which is a third of chapter 1 (30k words), so I think I'm doing quite well! Allie, our all-mighty editor, has already tackled 92 pages of 111 when it comes to editing chapter 1. That means we'll have a perfectly editing script soon! Therefore, I'll be able to code chapter 1 knowing everything has been proof-read and approved by Allie. During May I have also answered a Patreon exclusive ask and a bunch of simpler asks on Tumblr!
During May I have been one busy bee, if you allow me to say!! I've programmed our route selection screen, which will allow folks to jump right into the fray at any time. I've also programmed the "chapter introduction screen", which Patreon folks have been able to see in the sneak peek playthrough.
Not only animating everything made me cry twice, but I also stumbled upon things that required more thought, more reading, more learning, and implementing. For example, if a player starts a route via route selection instead of organically reaching that screen while playing the prologue, we want them to choose their name and pronouns anyway. After that, another need came upโI want players to be able to decide their starting personality if they access a route via route selection. Our personality system works with points, and when you start a new game, the amount of points for each three personalities is 0. While you play the prologue, you start building up your Main Character's personality. However, if you don't play the prologue, you can't make choices previous to the first chapter of your selected route. So a personality selection screen was necessarily, but it had to appear only if the player was accessing a route via route selection. Ah, booleans, my beloveds!
I have also started coding Amon's chapter 1, coded Valor's expressions, and started playing around with animating certain effects for the sprites, like the sweat droplet actually sliding down when it appears. I have been having equals amount of fun and dread programming everything during May. Below you have a sneak peek of fan favorite's route selection screen, with some content warnings. I'll have to work into these (or add a TBA sticker, we'll see) before this build can see the light of the day, but we're slowly making progress :^)
What to say! This month has been quite a ride. During May, we sat down to talk about Ravenstar Games' present and future, and I was in charge of writing the not-so-gleefull post that eventually went live on May 22nd. This post was as hard to write as it was to post, but it's something that needed to be done. In a sense, I think facing the demons of our missteps has given us extra fuel to burn when it comes to working on the game. Not to dwell on something that has a quite lengthy post, we want to once again thank y'all for your support and your kindness.
During May we've also been formalizing our change of financial advisor / consultant and that meant a lot of documents, calls, emails, and more boring stuff on our end. Things are now in a kind of Limbo (pun intended) as our old advisor has been informed of our leave but is still working on our annual tax return thingy. We'll see how it all wraps up.
I've also worked on our voiced name token system for Patreon, the form, and the Patreon product page! We hope voiced names become a thing that slowly and surely helps us stay afloat!
As for our lives, I've been buried in PhD work (papers, preparing congresses, my annual evaluation); me and my family are officially moving out on June 17th, so I've been packing all my stuff, helping my parents pack, and obviously doing some clean-up. On top of that, we've welcomed a kitten to our familyโour stinky boy, Yuni, who was found abandoned on a beach when he was merely days old along with his littermates. Sadly, one of the four kittens died, and while Yuni's sisters were adopted, people didn't seem interested in him as he was very young (six weeks) and a single kitten. We adopted him on May 27th, and he loves playing with Riki, even if he's still learning the ropes on how to Catโข. Riki is being the most patient, sweet teacher, as I expected from my precious hairball.
I've been managing my OCD quite well lately! I have been able to have my therapy appointments separated by two weeks, which is a huge milestone. I'm also trying to meditate again to bring some moments of peace to my very chaotic present, but I'm excited to move to our new home. The whole process will surely slow me down when it comes to working on both LiL and my PhD, but I hope things go as smoothly as possible. I'll do my best!
Astro begun his internship and is having a really good time. People are nice to him, he shines in his department, and the schedule is much better than the hell he has had to live through this academic year.
Raquel is working! We'll hopefully see each other soon to celebrate both her and Astro's birthday, but with me moving and all that, maybe we have to postpone things. She's so busy we can hardly get a hold on her (spelling???), but she's doing well!
Kayden is there!! He's going to be an uncle really soon (and I'm going to be an aunt, but that's a matter for another devlog when my sister actually gets pregnant).
I have the nastiest migaine ever as I write this, so I'm headed to the pharmacy and then I'll lay down a bit. I'm very happy with our progress this month (even if we've had our drawbacks), and I can only hope the arrival of summer gives us a bit more time to work on the project and also rest. The horrors persist, and by that, I mean our patreon / kickstarter / tumblr / itchio updates!
