The Doctrine of Perseverance Plot Summary and Main Characters Reveal
Story
The city of Noxton takes its name from one of the eight founding families, the Noxton family. Renowned publicly for their contributions to the city, privately, they are linked to the mysterious 'Drift.' Tragedy strikes the family on Melrose Noxton’s thirteenth birthday, marked by a horrific house fire following the appearance of the titular doctrine in the guesthouse. Three years later, the mystery remains unsolved, and life seemingly moves on, but not for Melrose – she remembers everything.
This story unfolds on Melrose’s sixteenth birthday, where you will uncover the inescapable horrors of the doctrine, unravel the secrets of the Noxton family, and confront the spirits of the 'Drift' that relentlessly seek to butcher anyone in their path. Happy Birthday, Melrose.
Main Characters
An old soul and reserved girl. Her birthday serves as a haunting reminder of the house fire and acts as the catalyst for the story.
A mischievous girl with a cheerful exterior. She is a close friend of Melrose and Dace’s daughter.
An unfiltered and hot-headed boy. His family harbors distrust towards the ‘founding families' in the city of Noxton.
A well-mannered and intelligent boy, slated to be the next head of the Noxton family. He is the son of Josie and Klaas, and also Melrose’s cousin.
An introverted and inquisitive boy. He is Melrose’s childhood friend and is from another founding family, the Skallow family.
A free-spirited woman with a laissez-faire attitude. She is Melrose's aunt and Milton's mom. Her and Florence were in a state of no contact for years prior to the fire.
A composed and educated man, he is Suzetta's dad and a long-time close friend of Florence before the fire. He works for the Noxton Police Department.
A brisk and 'rough around the edges' kind of man, he is the current head of the Noxton family and the uncle of Melrose and Milton.
A somber and guarded man, he is Milton's dad and works for the Noxton Police Department. He carries resentment towards the Noxton family.
A beloved caregiver at Noxton’s orphanage, she is a daydreamer at heart, burdened with secrets she would die for. She is Melrose’s mother, the middle child between Perry and Josie.
Developer's Note
Bios and artwork are subject to change before the final release of the game, and this post may be updated.
I currently have about an hour of content done, this is with all of the dialogue, and knowledge on how to proceed in-game. I imagine it'll be longer for new players. Currently working on the next portion. I'm hoping to have chapter zero available to play early 2024 on RMN, Steam, and Itch.io.
I've also been posting youtube shorts, I'd be super appreciative to anyone who likes/comments on them!
Links
Chapter 0: "I Remembered Everything" Scene VIDEO Chapter 0: "Drifted Away" Scene VIDEO Itch.io Twitter RMN (Site Down as of 3/18/2025)