You are one of the "lucky ones" as many born in the shaded lands would say. To live a life within a city, is to not worry about the possibility of your town being flatlined over politics, hunger or plain ole greed. That was the general consensus, cities are safe, towns are for visits, and the old cities are to be avoided. All fine and dandy until the first time since The Sickening, lights went out in a city. Not just one block, but a city, dimmed. Millions gone. No warnings. No pleas. No survivors. Just darkness. News of this sudden loss reached your city by a caravan that just barely managed to escape with their lives. Being the upstanding citizen you are, you volunteered, or more like you were coerced into joining a ragtag group of scouts when your block suddenly lost light and the only survivors were you, a permanently scarred toddler and your bestie. Tasked with finding out what caused (the very uninspiring name) "The Dimming" you hope to find answers before the lights completely fade from your city.
Will you be humanity's saving grace or chose to embrace the night with no regards to the wellbeing of your fellow man.
The choice is up to you, just remember your actions have consequences beyond that you know.....
Nytelites is a supernatural post apocalyptic story about found family, loss of innocence, and carving a name for oneself in the millions of names already carved. Romance, befriend or even kill the 7 ROs. Some, you may never even meet depending on your choices. All ROs are romanacble both Allosexual and Asexual MCs, though some will only date MCs of certain backgrounds.
MC is soft locked as both in their mid- to late 20s and a sleeper with a chance to become a shifted based on choices. Everything else is customizable.
This story is 18+ and does contain adult themes and potentially triggering topics such as: Child abuse/neglect, Sexual harassment, Sexual interactions (optional), Blood, Violence against others and animals, Racism, Slavery, Trafficking, Torture, Mentions of Death, Ableism, Strong Language, and Gore
Nytelites takes inspiration from things like: The Omega Man, The Walking Dead, and V Wars
While there can be a happy ending this is not a happy story
There will be a system implemented to remove some triggering aspects later in development
`(*∩_∩*)′ Hello! Hello! Magpie here! I'm the current head of the Mid-Grand Library. I know, I know I'm a bit young to have this position but I have a feeling that's exactly why I got picked. I handle the formatting of all questions, comments, complaints and concerns in Motown well technically it's the entire Center Cities but I'm stationed here !
Now what can I assist you with?
Oh you wish to learn about the Dimming, honestly it could've been named better but oh well, you know I knew people who were major players during that time, but this isn't about me its about you!
LOADING FORMAT PLEASE STANDBY ฅ^·ﻌ·^ฅ ฅ^·ﻌ·^ฅ ฅ^·ﻌ·^ฅ ฅ^·ﻌ·^ฅ …
Formatting complete (๑¯◡¯๑)…
"You are one of the 'lucky ones' as many living in the Shaded Lands would say. To live a life of relative comfort while not worrying if a Seeker attack, larger town or the elements will be the thing that wipes your whole settlement out.
You know the old saying 'Cities are for staying, Towns are for starting, and good luck in the Wastes.'
It worked out great, until the first city went dim an event that no one could've predicted and no one survived. See the lights going out in certain districts or just a block was normal. It was a way to test the system and expand the cities in whichever direction was beneficial for long term stability. What happened in the Lou was not only a warning but possible a sign of what was to come. An entire city dark, and when darkened it left it open to attacks from everything the light scorned.
News of this monumental loss of not only resources but life reached you city by a turning caravanner, half delirious, people thought nothing of it until no one heard anything from anyone who ventured a little too close to the former Bridge City. Being the upstanding and honorable citizen you are, you volunteered (not like you could say no or anything) and joined a ragtag group of fronters with your best friend and of course everything went wrong. The block you all took refuge in suddenly lost light and the only survivors ended up being you, your friend, and a toddler who will be in therapy for the rest of their life.
After returning you have been tasked with finding the source of the Dimming and making sure it not only is a one off situation but your city isn't next to go dark.
Will you be humanity's saving light or chose to embrace the dark with no regard for you fellow man?
The choice is yours, of course, just remember for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction."
Formatting done ૮ ྀིᴗ͈ . ᴗ͈ ྀིა ᙆᙆᙆ …
OH?! HELLO! You passed out there towards the end, gotta make sure you take a seat before starting formats. Not that I blame you happens to everyone `(*∩_∩*)′
Well now you know the beginning do you wish to hear the rest?
»»——> ᴄʜᴏɪᴄᴇ sʏsᴛᴇᴍ ɪᴍᴘʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛᴇᴅ<——««
Nytelites is a sci-fi/post-apocalyptic story about found family, loss of innocence and changing things thought to be beyond a singular person. Romance, befriend, or even kill the 7 available romance options. Some, you may never met depending on your choices. All ROs are romanceable by Allosexual and Asexual MCs, though some will only get involved with MCs of certain backgrounds.
MC is soft locked as both in their mid- to late 20s, good family relationship (in the beginning, things can of course change) and a Sleeper (with a chance to no longer be one by the end of the story). Everything else is customable.
Nytelites is an 18+ story with content not suitable for minors and potentially triggering topics such as:
Neglect
Sexual Harassment/ Assault (option to skip conversations around them)
Sexual Interactions (consensual/ optional)
Conversations around Sex Work
Blood
Cannibals/ Vampires
Drug Usage
Trafficking
Death (animals/people- skip-able)
Racism (not the type we used to)
And more as the story develops
There will eventually be a system implemented to completely skip certain triggers later in development
Other Important Formats:
🔊Playlists 🔊
😶🌫️Characters😶🌫️
🆕Pinterest Boards🆕
❗Lore Masterlist ❗
Demo: Prologue + Chapter 1 - December 2025/January 2026
I am new to coding and its the most learning curve ever.
Nytelites takes inspiration from The Walking Dead, Omega Man, Z Nation, V Wars, The Last of Us, Mad Max, 12 Monkeys and more
Gods and Villains is a superhero/horror story set in a dystopian future where Earth is overrun with crime and corruption—a.k.a. the MCU meets The Boys.
Warning! injury to major characters, gore, body horror, trauma and PTSD, death, and sexual content.
New Tumblr Page. The old one was wrongfully terminated by Tumblr.
DEMO ✯ FORUM ✯ PATREON
You take control of a powerful metahuman, an otherwise ordinary human on the outside, but who has the meta-gene, a potent mutation deep-embedded in their DNA, which gives them superhuman abilities. This next step in human evolution comes with a setback, however, for the curse of madness seems to follow their every step.
With a dark and traumatic past filled with untold horrors and inhuman experiments, you are rescued from the clutches of crazy terrorists by a team of heroes that might lend you all the tools you need for redemption or complete self-annihilation.
As the only metahuman with the ability to wield the powerful Chaos Magic, your very blood holds the answers to unlocking the secrets behind the control of time and space, but it has the drawback of being almost completely volatile.
Who can you trust to keep you safe other than yourself? Trust no one, and maybe you can get out of this literal hell alive.
Play as male, female, or non-gender specific, along with transgender choices;
Romance one of seven characters, and if your heart is big enough, fall in love with two of them. There’s three possible poly routes available: Archon and Stardom, Archon and Mars, Paladin and Wildcat;
Customize your appearance, personality and powers;
Struggle against the shackles of madness trying to take hold of your psyche;
Battle a multitude of villains or become one yourself;
Uncover the secrets behind the meta-gene and your abilities;
Help the public fall in love with superheroes or forever destroy that chance;
As I said above, there’s currently seven love interests and three possible poly routes (Archon and Stardom, Archon and Mars, Paladin and Wildcat).
The villain, or anti-hero, whatever you want to call them, Mars is an enigmatic figure; the very concept of life seems to hold no value to them. A trail of bodies follows wherever they go, and on the news, they are regarded as the biggest menace of the century. They will have the unique ability to sway your loyalty. Beware, their sweet words and promises may drip with honey, but they also drip with the blood of their victims.
The oldest of the bunch and not a metahuman per se. Hammer acts as the spokesperson for the team, mitigating the often tenuous relationship between humans and the so-called “mutants”. As a retired police detective they’ve learned firsthand how rotten the world can be for the innocent, and they’ve vowed to protect them at any cost. Their analytical and communication skills will go hand in hand when dealing with various crimes, just as their implants.
Trope: Widow/widower, age gap, don’t-call-me-daddy/mommy
Adam/Ava Armstrong
The current leader of the Alliance Team. Headstrong and dauntless, they are regarded as the strongest metahuman in modern times and the most enigmatic of them all, whose past is shrouded in mystery and unknown even to their closest friends. On the outside, they might seem apathetic and unconcerned with human suffering, but their true feelings are hidden beneath layers of deep trauma. Superhuman strength and invulnerability are their greatest assets when fighting villains.
Trope: Nobody thinks it will work, love/hate, fucking-your-boss
Edward/Evelyn Osborne
The former leader of the Alliance Team and Archon’s best friend. On the surface, they are the stereotypical showboat: cocky, greedy, and egoistical. Stardom does whatever they can to gain attention, fame, and riches. For them, the best feeling in the world is an adoring fan and a beautiful person fawning over their heroics. The meta-gene gives them a genius-level intellect, which in turn is used to develop several pieces of equipment that are employed by themselves and the team during fights.
Trope: Billionaire, belated love epiphany, good-people-have-good-sex
Johnny/Johnnie
If Archon’s past is shrouded in mystery, Paladin’s is drowned in it. For all you know, their name is not even Johnny/Johnnie but an alias of their choosing. They are known to be the silent loner type and are somewhat socially withdrawn from other members of the team, only speaking when called upon to do so. Behind their silver mask, they harbor more than a few inner demons, and together with their superhuman weapon and combat proficiency, they fight for the innocent.
Trope: Secret identity, oblivious to love, weapon-play
Pedro/Pilar Flores
The youngest of the team, considered by many a lighthearted jokester without any real talent beyond their obvious powers—which set them apart from every human that walks the earth. With their metahuman status so evident for everyone to see, hiding just didn’t seem like an option, so they chose the next best alternative. Known to be playful, energetic, and often immature, they are responsible for balancing the team’s more serious side, and when someone can take the form of any living being on Earth, the repertoire of pranks is endless.
Trope: Beauty and the Beast, broken in some way, begging
Doctor Malik/Malika Aziz
The renowned Doctor Aziz is a famed archaeologist and considered to be the most powerful sorcerer, or magic user, in the world. They wear several enchanted artifacts that, in turn, accentuate their already tremendous knowledge of the mystical forces. With an extremely strong moral compass and kind demeanor, they will show themselves to be the best teacher you could ask for, but why do they seem to be everywhere you look?
Trope: Time travel, twin siblings or clones (?), teacher-student
Urging people not to get angry at Itch.io and instead direct that anger at the payment processers responsible.
Call or email them and politely ask why they have capitulated to the pressure from an australian far right hate group, and damaged legitimate businesses on the whims of said hate group.
So first off, Australian here absolutely fucking ashamed to heck and back this is a goddamn Australian group, but let me tell you I was both shocked and horrified to learn this Hate Group is a registered charity. Sorry but I don't think people who actively go out harassing people into forcing changing things based on what adult content is 'appropriate' to their sensibilities and probably anti-lgbtq at this point (I am writing this at 11pm okay I have not done my digging but the vibes are going in that direction) should be a registered charity.
So if you're Australian - (or maybe anyone for that matter) guess what I found:
The official Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission's registration page of Collective Shout.
This handy dandy ACNC page on 'how to raise a concern about a charity' with instructions and a link to a report form.
I figured out the simplest way to import a GoogleDocs document into Ellipsus that doesn't involve using a third party site or converter:
In your GoogleDoc: Click the File menu, then Download, and then choose the option for Markdown (.md).
---
It's that simple. Ellipsus has an option to import Markdown files, and it worked great. I started with this monster fic because it is the largest file I have. Ellipsus converted it fine, and I didn't even lose my formatting or headings. 😮💨
I'm gonna have to look into getting an external HD or a big flash drive, just to move everything to from the cloud storage at some point, as my Chromebook does not have the space for me to store everything on it (well over a decade of writing).
EDITING TO ADD: Apparently googledocs locking down your stuff for lewd content was debunked. Having backups and alternatives is still a good idea though. But it is a relief to know my stuff isn't in imminent danger. 😮💨
I've noticed something lately. IF authors are dropping like flies. It is beginning to feel as if the community itself is dying. Was this something that was just big during our covid season? When we had more time?
Personally, I know how hard it is for me to juggle writing with life obligations, and I am far more fortunate than most in my schedule. I'm sure that this has weighed down on others as well. There is a lot of merit to writing the entire thing and then putting it out without any chapters previously being posted. Maybe that's the way it needs to go? Do we start locking off our game to the public? That doesn't seem right, but I do see a lot of posts about people feeling so discouraged with their readers or with not delivering chapters 'on time'. There is, in general, an 'ick' that has kind of been created around being an IF writer and I know a lot of writers who are having full breaks and panics over the harassment that they receive. Others who are just not wanting to write anymore because they never can seem to please anyone. So on and so on.
Not to mention the new fear of our work just being taken from us due to the issues going on with any sort of spicy content.
So, my question is this, to my fellows IF writers, what would you like to see? How can we come together in this and create a better community for us and our readers? Throw the ideas out there, no matter how crazy it sounds.
I wanna get in on this convo because I read all of the replies so far (and pretty much agree with everything everyone has said) and saw some stuff that really resonated with me. And I have more to say than I can fit in a reply, so I'm just gonna reblog—I hope that's okay.
When I first started writing my other WIP, Ninelives, years ago, I tried to make a personal rule to reblog any other announcement or update posts from other authors that came across my dash—regardless of whether or not I had personally read it—because I kinda figured: we're all writers, and writing always works better when there is a community around it. But I remember very quickly starting to feel like I was trying to put more love into the community than I was getting out of it. Creative works in general already have a problem with lack of reblogs on this site, but I was counting on the IF author community to sort of rise above that. Unfortunately, my expectations surpassed the reality.
To add to that, I'm a very introverted person. I struggle with RSD a lot, so it takes an enormous amount of effort to engage with my readers, much less other authors. (Even reblogging with this comment is difficult for me. 😅) I actually engage with other authors a lot, but only through anonymous asks because it's very difficult and scary sometimes to put my thoughts so openly out there. (I realize this can contribute to the issue of feeling like authors are dropping like flies. Maybe others are like me, interacting only on anon, which makes it feel like they aren't present in the community.)
That all is a good lead-in to my next comment (and a heavy agreement with one of the replies I read)—the IF community does sometimes feel very cliquey, or at least a certain subset within it has in the past. I can remember many moments over the years where I felt like the same maybe ten authors were always talking each other's work up but would never deign to promote the works of new and/or less popular authors. Not that it's necessarily anyone's job to make sure other authors get seen, but it certainly didn't help the Us and Them feeling.
It definitely created some weird vibes, and maybe it helped spur on some of the community that like to bully authors on anon or maybe it had nothing to do with it, but it certainly didn't contribute to a healthy community feel.
But that's been in the past. These days, I feel like I don't see that cliquey-ness as much anymore. In fact, it almost feels like a lot of authors, especially some of the more popular and well-known ones, have become more distant from other authors. Maybe to avoid unwittingly contributing to drama? Not sure.
Which leads up to now where it seems like authors hardly ever reblog each other's works at all anymore (even less than they did before) and they don't often comment on each other's works either. IF author interaction is the lowest I've ever seen it. But maybe that's correlation more than causation—because a number of authors I used to follow have gone on indefinite hiatus while others have lowered their interaction because of all the reasons you listed.
But I definitely feel what you're feeling. And maybe the solution is just this right here—to have conversations about it, get people talking, get authors actually speaking to each other again?
I've been reading IF since 2012 or so, I do remember authors in the past used to not have as many updates (like constantly checking in with audiences), so audiences didn't constantly push them to release new material. As people got more and more involved with internet spaces it started to breed more entitlement from both ends, authors with people engaging with their material and getting upset when they have low engagement AND readers getting upset when writers don't update every month.
-Like others mentioned there is elitism in this community that ends up hurting it more than helping. If you don't follow certain authors or like certain ideas, people look at you funny rather than accepting that everyone isn't going to like everything. I personally can't get behind certain themes and that leads me to block certain tags, and anytime it's even mentioned I end up missing out on different stories and ideas that aren't remotely related because they just happened to be in the same post. Technology isn't advanced enough that only the themes are blocked and both whole posts (and that's for the better truthfully because that 100% can go wrong)
-I know for me a big hurdle is transferring what I have written both into code AND on tumblr in general. Coding is really hard (especially because of my dyscalculia, I'm at the point Im considering paying someone else to code for me or sticking to a physical book that doesn't involve coding at all because I literally cannot do it), most people underestimate that because society plays it as a super easy to learn thing. It's so much easier to write ideas down elsewhere and format it than make tumblr posts on them. Also people overestimate how much they really can do/know.
- Covid is a big factor as well because most people were confined to their houses/ limited spaces so they naturally ended up spending more time on the internet. That's why so many movements, ideas, and changes that happened during the height of the pandemic are dying out. Most folks are back in school (I know it's August, but school starts soon for people in it), working outside their houses or just going out more in general. There simply isn't as much time for internet/technology based hobbies/pass times unless you work in the field. COVID spoiled us in terms of "new internet based activities" but now that COVID isn't on everyone's mind as much, people are outside doing other things.
-Someone else said it and I'mma say it again, people depending on IFs to make ends met are really the only ones constantly updating their writings because what else are they going to do? Most writers have to engage in other work to make money because you still need somewhere to live, eat and sleep. Due to their other commitments this is always going to fall to the wayside, when people have time there are a lot of updates and new IFs when they don't, it's dry. I don't unfollow authors unless it's been 5-6 months with no updates (even a post that has nothing to do with the story keeps me following because I at least know the page isn't gone).
-Cultural Barriers, I'm honestly not surprised this hasn't been brought up more but I'm going to say it, most ifs don't include large varieties of people (I'm starting to see more POC writers but they can only add so much before people start pushing back). I refuse to engage in media that doesn't include folks like me (Black/ Dark skin/Asian/ Native etc etc) because I'm tired of having to play as something other than myself. (This is a media/entertainment issue in general, it's hard to see myself because there's little to no portrayal of people like me) There's also been quite a few cases of racial based ignorance (im trying to be nice) and that's immediately going to turn people away from someone's work. What may be culturally acceptable for one group of people could be completely disrespectful in another and as people become more aware of that it makes it hard to write/read/interact in general. I kid you not most fictions include maybe 1 Black person and 1 Asian and they tend to be lighter skinned and or half white leaving most of the worlds population out of the equation. Indigenous/Natives dont even exist in IF for some reason that I cannot fathom. I'm not expecting writers to include every ethnicity or race in the world and it means a lot when people are treated as a stand in/ stereotype. Also language, AAVE, Creole or Spanglish wouldn't be as tolerated as "grammatically correct" English leading to people having to completely change their writing style to fit in. (I'm tired of the sassy and hypersexual but ever self-sacrificing Black folks and the off putting/rude but super smart Asians, I already deal with that stuff irl, I'm not reading a book that does the same thing🙂↔️)
-Themes are a big issue, people expect blogs to only feature information around either IFs in general or the story that's being written. I've seen authors get side eye for talking about completely random things on their pages because people believe that they shouldn't. I get things should follow a theme and it's literally not the final product? It's just someone's page for their story? Why are people not following the authors because they like them? I'm really baffled. Also on the topic of themes is the overall theme of a story, we need more variety, like the same themes are getting beat into the ground while others get a story every 15th blue moon. Where are the space stories? The stories about exploring the ocean? Mermaids? Growing up? The parent stories? Happy stories? Being content with life as it is stories? Stories about positive character development? I can only read so many "I hate everyone and it's their problem bleh" stories before it gets old. We can have mature themes and happy outcomes, they are not mutually exclusive. We can't all be depressed someone gotta be happy.
-Instant gratification/short attention spans are probably the biggest factors. Everyone has the attention span of a 2 year old now, it's so bad. We live in a world of short content and getting what you want when you want it. People can't be patient anymore and that means when an update isn't monthly people get upset. As someone who worked with young kids, I worry for the next generations (alpha and beta) because gen z definitely has an attention problem (I have ADHD so I get having flighty attention, and there's no reason we can't learn patience) and we supposed to be the new adults. It's not as bad for millennials because most didn't grow up on the internet but instead with it. It also translates over to work as well, most millennial writer's have longer books/ more completed works while gen z may have a lot of options in their books it just takes 5 times as long to complete it.
Long story short there's so many factors that are leading to the drop off of IF, maybe it will go back to being a niche thing that has less output than input again, maybe it will adapt with the times. I'm in no way surprised because this is not just unique to IF but all internet based communities.
These are more focused on the background stuff rather than the usual "what would the character do in XY situation" kinds of asks. I've been looking for something like this for quite a while and in the end decided to make my own. Feel free to use, go wild, enjoy
What was the original thought that led to the creation of this character?
How long was the process before the character reached its final version? (or a version that would be clearly recognizable as the character?)
What was the first thing you decided on, the character's name, appearance, personality or their role in the story?
And reverse, which one of the four things did you struggle with the most?
How did you choose their name and why? Was it simply based on vibes or is there any specific meaning behind the name? Are the reasons behind their name different in- and out of universe?
What was the thought process behind their appearance? Did you go mostly for the aesthetic or are there other reasons they look the way they do?
What is an aspect of their appearance that you like the most?
What is the origin of their personality? And let's be honest - how much of it is projecting?
How big is their role in the story? Do they make a frequent appearance or are they a character with little "screentime" but big influence? Or are they just a favourite background guy?
What is their main character arc in the story? Where do they start and how do they develop? Do they get a happy ending or is their story a tragic one?
Is there any existing character from other media that your character resembles? Was the resemblance intentional or was it a coincidence?
Do you have a playlist for the character? What songs do you associate with them and why?
Do you have a voice claim for the character? What do you imagine the character sounds like?
Do you have any quotes tied to the character, either from the story itself or from another source that fit them?
Have you ever made a moodboard for them?
Is there any memes or running jokes associated with the character, both in- and out of universe?
Are there any motifs or symbols associated with the character? How are they represented, in their design, personality or in some other way?
Does the character have other characters connected to them? Do you have a family tree and "offscreen" connections made up for them or do they exist in a vacuum purely for the purpose of the story?
What is your general favourite thing about the character? What is your least favourite?
Bonus question: share any additional thoughts, art, favourite scenes, anything you've been waiting for a chance to ramble about
I just wanted to hop on and let y'all know a few things about HAT and my writing in general.
(Don't worry, the update is still coming, HAT isn't dead, and I'm still writing.)
I am currently in my second semester of law school, and I've been trying to reconcile my writing schedule with my school schedule. Your girl is tired! This, coupled with the dashingdon shutdown, and having to move stuff around, means that I'm going to be tardy with the updates. But so help me y'all WILL be getting your updates!
Anyway, this is just so it's clear that I'm not ghosting you haha. I always have to thank each and every single one of you for your patience.
For the writers struggling to rid themselves of the classic ‘said’. Some are repeated in different categories since they fit multiple ones (but those are counted once so it adds up to 100 new words).
Note: everyone is entitled to their own opinion. No I am NOT telling people to abandon said and use these. Yes I understand that said is often good enough, but sometimes you WANT to draw attention to how the character is speaking. If you think adding an action/movement to your dialogue is 'good enough' hate to break it to you but that ruins immersion much more than a casual 'mumbled'. And for the last time: this is just a resource list, CALM DOWN. Hope that covers all the annoyingly redundant replies :)
Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks?
Check out the rest of Quillology with Haya; a blog dedicated to writing and publishing tips for authors!
If you're a writer you're supposed to write a lot of bullshit. It's part of the gig. You have to write a lot of absolute garbage in order to get to the good bits. Every once in a while you'll be like "Oh, I wish I hadn't wasted all that time writing bullshit," but that's dumb. That's exactly the same as an Olympic runner being like "Oh, I wish I hadn't wasted all that time running all those practice laps"
Appearance: At 6'5" (195.6 cm) Sadiyyah is what most would call tall, dark and beautiful. With rich deep chestnut skin and patches of vitiligo, they are used to standing out in crowds. Her deep brown/pale blonde coily-curly hair is mid-thigh length and typically found in goddess locs, Fulani braids or a fresh wash n go. Sadiyyah has a voluptuous Amazonian build and pale grey-blue monolid eyes due to the vitiligo. She used to wear glasses when younger but no longer needs them since becoming infected. Their button nose is plump and slightly up turned making her already large lips appear even bigger than they are.
Background: African American and Vietnamese
Zodiac: Scorpio Sun, Leo Moon, Scorpio Rising
Favorite accessory/item to carry: Lip gloss and strawberry flavored suckers
Abilities: Necromancy, Spirit-Walking
Age: 435, infected at the age of 25. One of the few elder Turned
Intro Post for my new WIP, “Cantata.” If you haven’t yet read my completed IF, “Viatica,” you can find it here on itch.
A low fantasy IF loosely based on the Italian Renaissance period, with a steampunk edge.
DEMO on Itch
SYNOPSIS
The story is set in Saleste, an empire with a long history of expansionism and colonization. It is a vast, wealthy empire, very much set in notions of classism and noble privilege. And its warmongering has only grown more brazen under the current regis (monarch). Saleste is currently at a stalemate with Tinebaille, a neighboring island nation the empire has repeatedly tried, and failed, to conquer.
Within the empire, technically citizens but not, are the Iredicci. The Iredicci are as much a religion as they are a race—less like priests and more like monks or shamans. 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 voice—they have an echo to their voice, a resonance of two pitches at once. The regis asked the Iredicci elders to use their unique gift to help him conquer Tinebaille, but as a peaceful people, they refused.
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. The regis spread propaganda against the Iredicci, painting them as an inferior, uncivilized people who leeched off the empire rather than aided it. 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 can’t 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 spared—not 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 friend’s 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?
MAGIC
There is no magic in the traditional sense, but your people are attuned to the cordis, the harmonies of the earth. Your song brings rain to drought ridden areas, quiets thunderstorms, tames wildfires, and soothes hearts. You can also attune to a specific element, which corresponds to one of the senses:
Earth/Smell
Air/Sight
Fire/Touch
Water/Taste
FEATURES
Play as male, female or nonbinary—you’ll be able to choose your pronouns independent of your body type.
Customize your character’s 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 4 possible love interests, or choose the platonic route with the best of friends.
Save a wild animal from a hunter’s 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 man’s cane sword with her everywhere, which she wields in a fight along with a hand crossbow. She’s 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 contradiction—she 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 doublet… wings, perhaps? It’s beautiful. He’s beautiful, though you’d never tell him for fear he’d 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, he’s been free to explore the islands to his heart’s content, and is familiar with every bay, inlet, and harbor. He is equally skilled at wielding a spear, sailing a ship, and charming hearts.
CONTENT WARNING
This story is intended for mature audiences. Possibly triggering topics present in the story include blood, violence, death (including child death), trauma & PTSD, mature language, sexual content (optional), classism, sexism, bigotry, and the persecution of a fictional people. Be advised, you are also pretending to have a disability for at least half the story.
Custom Sugarcube 2 template inspired by Choice of Games and dashingdon
With the recent news of dashingdon shutting down I decided to dust off an old twine template. Might make the move to twine easier for some, might not, either way I had fun.
Template on itch.io
Template is compatible with the most recent Twine update (2.10.0)
Features:
Mobile friendly UI
Settings to change theme (white, sepia, dark), font (including a dyslexia friendly font), font size
Autosaving and custom save names
Toggleable notifications
A passage to choose custom pronouns; both by reader input and preset, as well as pronoun widgets for grammatical differences
Special passages labelled and explained
Multiple stat bars
Stylesheet and Javascript labelled to make everything easy to find and change
Custom macros (linked in file)
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