City of Thorns - Chapter 1 is available for free on Itch.io!
Link: Itch.io Page
City of Thorns is an interactive fiction and amare game project in which you are an oracle tasked with solving a mystery that shakes the whole city - the murder of the beloved Prince Mikhail. Summoned to the palace by the Sovereign Princess, you'll meet several members of the Royal Court, all of whom are interested in the case. Choose a courtier to aid your investigation, and figure out exactly what's going on in this place.
Romance Options:
A cold and stoic type at first glance, there is more to Koré than most of her people think. Her rule of the city and command of the palace is strict, and her court is divided in their opinions of her. She may be slow to warm up to you, but there's a good heart in her...if you choose to bring it out.
A princess and mage from the neighbouring archipelago of Capri, Morgaine remains a bit of an outsider in the court. She's more than willing to help you on your quest, and your acceptance means everything to her. With your magic combined, solving the case could be a piece of cake - but is she really as innocent as she looks?
A sweet and soft-spoken person, Ariel keeps the palace and the royal family running smoothly. But the loss of their lover hangs heavy over their head, and their grief threatens to consume them. Still, they want to help you by any means necessary, and are eternally grateful for your work.
Captain of the Royal Guard and the city's police force, Dimitri is hot-headed and hard to hold on to. Prince Mikhail was his oldest and dearest friend, and losing him has only exacerbated his problems. He'll be leading the non-magical side of the investigation, so playing nicely with him will be critical.
Simultaneously ambitious and carefree, Anatole doesn't let the distrust of the court get to his head...most of the time. He's all too eager to help you investigate, and to get to know a fellow mage in a city where magic is rare, but as one of only two known mages in the court, he's under heavy suspicion.
A quiet and private soul, Jasmin finds the murder more concerning than most of her peers do. She can certainly offer help, but getting any personal information out of her will be difficult. And you might find you do need personal information from her; she holds more secrets than most, which could provide more details to the case.
Cheerful and always eager to help, Nocturne is your right-hand at the Temple of Pythia where you both grew up. You've known them for as long as you can remember. They're your best friend, and would do anything - or almost anything - for you. But how well do you know them, really?
Features and Disclaimers:
This game is meant for an 18+ audience due to sexual content and violence.
With the ability to choose a name, pronouns, and body type (in the full game, body types are not available in the demo), City of Thorns aims to be as inclusive to all gender and sexual orientations as possible.
Seven different romance routes, which will be released episodically.
Each route features a character-driven story with multiple endings based on your choices and how you influence your RO.