Twine WIP author and illustrator (they/them). You can call me Fen. Currently writing Stygian Sun: Total Eclipse, a dark fantasy interactive story. Patreon https://www.patreon.com/FenofCattails
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/fennyth
Check out my art blog @fennythofcattails-ifs https://www.tumblr.com/blog/fennythofcattails-ifs and my website at https://cattailsart.carrd.co/
Nsfw blog @stygian-sun-if-after-dark
After the deaths of your four oldest siblings, taken from you by war, your older sibling, Nour, once fifth in line for the Solar Imperial throne, is now the heir.
This day never should have happened.
As recompense for the ravages your kingdom’s war has inflicted upon the Lunar kingdom of Celestyl, and as assurance it will not happen again, your sibling is to be sent to Celestyl to marry the Lunar King’s heir. An arranged marriage, meant to unite the kingdoms. Or, at least that’s how everyone prefers to phrase it. But you all recognize this for what it really is: a guise. Your sibling will be a political hostage.
And—Theia, grant you guidance—you have had a premonition this is not the worst to come. Should your sibling go to Celestyl, they will not survive.
So you will take their place.
Stygian Sun: Total Eclipse is a dark fantasy interactive fictional story where you play as the sixth child in the proud and grandiose Solar Imperial Dynasty and leave your homeland for a foreign country, where you will take your sibling’s place in an arranged marriage to the heir to the Lunar Kingdom. But something sinister simmers on the horizon—you have felt it in your premonitions; apprehension crawls beneath your skin, foreboding pricks at the back of your neck, dread sinks low and heavy in your stomach. Theia is warning you—of what, you know not, but you have seen the way the Lunar King looks at you. His stare, the dagger, and you, the sacrificial lamb on the altar.
Beware the wolf, little lamb.
Content Warnings: "Stygian Sun: Total Eclipse" contains many upsetting themes, such as arranged marriage, child abuse, child neglect, child death, death, murder, violence, gore, sexually suggestive scenes, optional sexual content, suicidal themes and ideations, and more. "Stygian Sun: Total Eclipse" is intended for mature audiences 18+. Viewer discretion is advised.
Customize your MC's name, gender, pronouns, appearance, personality, and sexuality. Play as straight, gay, lesbian, bi, poly, and/or asexual. MC intro post here.
Shape your personality through your choices and see how it affects dialogue with other characters.
Navigate through the difficulties of court life in a foreign country.
Develop your magic—powers bestowed upon you through your divine bloodline.
Romance one or more of five romantic options, including your betrothed, the Lunar heir; your charming and overly flirtatious retainer; your acolyte, a priestess in training; a kind yet darkly mysterious Celestylian noble; or a peculiar and chaotic mage.
Develop deep and lasting friendships or make enemies. Platonic relationships will be just as deep as romantic ones.
Uncover a sinister plot that threatens everything you hold dear—and decide what you will risk to protect it.
Nour Al’Teia, your older sibling. (Gender dependent on MC’s.) Non-RO Once fifth in line for the Solar Imperial throne, Nour was perfectly content to play a supportive role to Parim, first in line, and the rest of their siblings. Now first in line for the throne, Nour is doing their best to step into a role they were never prepared to fill. Despite their best attempts to reassure you, you can tell this weighs more heavily on them than they let on.
Luca Lupine, your childhood friend. (Gender Selectable. She/her. He/him.) Non-RO Your childhood friend who, at the age of 13, perished in a fire, consumed so completely you were left with not even a body to mourn. Ever since then, whether as a manifestation of your guilt and grief, through some connection beyond the planes of life and death, or through some other means unbeknownst to you, they appear in your dreams, aiding you in parsing through visions and prophecies. [View: Character Profile]
Kieran Zeleskas, the Lunar Heir. (Gender Selectable. She/her. He/him.) RO The Crown Prince/ss of Celestyl. Though not of noble birth, events put into motion by their father have elevated them to this position, one they seem to have adapted to rather well by all appearances. Stoic and aloof, they seem less than pleased about this arrangement between the two of you. You’re inclined to agree. [View: Character Profile]
Alektis de Celestys, the lone princess. (She/her.) Non-RO The adoptive sister to Kieran. The slaughter of her family during the coup that brought Kieran’s father to power has rendered her irascible and hostile to most everyone. Though she mostly keeps to herself, with only her retainer, Nihm, for company, you often find her tumultuous glare trained on you, a complex look on her face you can’t quite decipher. [View: Character Profile]
Nihm de Circené, the guardian. (They/them.) RO Devoted retainer to Alektis and last surviving member of House Circené. Kind and sociable, Nihm is well-regarded in both noble and commoner social circles alike. However, their warm and affable disposition cannot completely hide the apprehension in their gait, nor the trembling in their hands. Still, they do their best to welcome you in a place where everyone seems dead-set on hating you. [View: Character Profile]
Aurynn Anouar, the retainer. (He/him.) RO Seeming to have appeared from out of nowhere, Aurynn rescued you from a dire situation during your first battle experience, and afterwards was appointed your retainer and has served you as such ever since. Charismatic, laidback, and flirtatious to a fault, Aurynn tends to either charm or annoy everyone he meets. Despite his insistence that he is an open book, sometimes you can’t help but feel the opposite; indeed, everything about him seems shrouded in secrecy. [View: Character Profile]
Samira Nahdiri, the priestess. (She/her.) RO Certain events left her family deeply shamed and nearly destitute until her exceptional accomplishments as a healer elevated her to the renowned position as your acolyte, drawing upon the power of your blood to learn healing magic in her pursuit to become a priestess. Strong, loyal, and compassionate, she is devoted to caring for her family above all else, and she counts you among them. [View: Character Profile]
Lilith/Lucien de Arcanis, the mage. (Gender Selectable. She/they. He/they.) RO The adopted heir to House Arcanis, a line of powerful and highly skilled mages. Wild-eyed with a wolfish grin, their peculiar and eccentric mannerisms tend to unsettle their peers, leaving them rather isolated in social circles—a circumstance which doesn’t seem to bother them one way or the other. For better or worse, it appears they’ve taken a rather intense interest in you. [View: Character Profile]
Poly Options (subject to change): any ROs will be able to be romanced independently or simultaneously.
Sibling Character Art: Farah, Nour, Aurora, Parim, Ember, Castor
Given Aurynn's...... Everything...... How would he feel about a sexless (but romantic and intimate) relationship with the MC? Would that just, not compute? Would it be a bit of a relief?
Answered under the cut for some more spoilery points concerning his route:
He wouldn’t understand at all at first what MC wanted from him if not sex and would express parts confusion and frustration as he has come to understand that sex is the only way to express a want for someone, and he does have trauma. It would eventually come as a relief given time to learn other ways to express intimacy and in learning MC wants him for more than what his body can provide. Regardless, there will be a point in his route where he will not want to have sex, but eventually he will be open to it again on his terms and as a choice he actually wants to make. (His arc takes some inspo from BG3’s Astarion) You can choose to have sexual or nonsexual relationships with any if the ROs. He will also have other development in terms of his own autonomy, and that includes a genderfluid (he/she) progression.
Will we have the option to block some of the romances? I'm usually kinda picky when it comes to poly relationships and it's not always for me. (Samira's and Aurynn's poly looks really fun tho and I can't wait to be in the middle of that)
But then there's polys like L and Nihm that are just not my cup of tea. I can't even imagine romancing L on their own. Not after reading the way they talk to/about Nihm. I like when the romances feel special and it seems like L is already in love with that special someone. But not in the "we're great together but we could be even better if you joined us" type of way I like in a poly.
Obviously I don't know how the story will go and I am aware of some of the theories about L and their identity. But if they're going to openly flirt with Nihm and call them "my love" and stuff, can we have the option to stop L from showing romantic interest in MC? Or will simply not picking the responses with hearts be enough?
The romance/poly options are explained in the FAQ. You don’t have to romance anyone you don’t want to. L is the type to be in love with all their friends platonically and/or romantically. They will platonically pine after MC but will only show romantic interest if heart marked options are selected.
I thought it was tomorrow, but actually it is today, that one year ago I published the first version of this game.
To celebrate, I've decided to take commissions for drawing your MCs from the game.
For these prices, I will draw your MC anyway you want, and for $20, I will draw your MC with any character you want. There are 4 slots open per option.
For more info, check out my Ko-fi page. Thank you in advance to anyone who commissions me. <3
Ohh imagining nour specifically is needed for some ritual of sorts that would result in them being sacrificed if doen correctly. And then then mc reveal is the fact that the ritual failed bc they're not nour and there's probably very catastrophic results of it failing. Probably completely off base but that's what I will be imagining
Actual question incoming (might be spoilery idk): how far into the story is mc reveal? Mid game endgame pretty early?
I'm reading some of the older asks and K is so funny?? I'm gonna romance male K with male mc who wasn't interested in men before. And the idea of K taking care of mc after they got hurt/forgot to eat again is killing me.
K's like: "Do you hate this? Is this humiliating enough to teach you a lesson?? (threat)"
Meanwhile mc: "Huh? What's with this weird sexual tension?? (,,○﹏○,,) "
Local Sword Idiot infects man with gay by making literally everything (unintentionally) homoerotic
Stealing this ask from another blog because it’s hilarious: If mc accidentally falls and pull the RO's pants down with them, would the ROs pull their pants up first or help mc up first?
Kieran and Samira: normally they’d help mc up if they fell but in this case it’s pants first. ☝️😔And sorry but you’re on your own—humiliation chased them away.
Nihm: tries to do both at once and fails miserably (prolly dropping both again) 😰
Lilith/Lucien: ohh my~ how forward- 🫣💅 helps mc up and hey who needs pants anyway I DONT
Aurynn: he’ll help mc up (but not before teasing like yknow there are easier ways to get my pants off) and then look at them expectantly like you pulled em down now help pull em back up
Please I meed inspiration with the best puns you can think of to ask nihm in marriage, they deserve only the best but I my brain is not as beetleful and theirs and cannot think of a good one myself
I mite ☝️ have a few that aren’t too louse-y (maybe just a smidge) if you can bee-leaf it 🐛
I don’t want to beetle-round the bush—I think we’re soilmates 💖🪱
I’d bee unbe-weevil-bly happy if you could ant-swer a certain question that’s been bugging me… 💐🐜
Weevil always bee together 🐝💖
I must be a lunatick with how crazy I am for you 🐞💖
Omg I cannot wait for the reveal for whatever’s wrong with Aurynn ❤️
He seems to be a swirling void of self hatred/ low self worth wearing a slutty mask and is all around shady as hell. I really really really want to know what made him the way that he is.
I just realized I never mentioned this before but ever since the first version I played i had an ongoing theory that Luca was L and the fact that L was disappointed they couldn't see the family just confirms it for me. Time for project simp over bestie harder than they can simp over MC.
If Aurynn complains:
L is just Weird Like That. Nothing sus bout em 👍
Live Aurynn reaction every time L and MC be simpin:
Will MC have to hide their face the whole time they're in Celestyl? And what about their powers?
No, they only had to hide their face when boarding. As for MCs powers, as a precaution they will have to hide them. If MC uses fire, they can use it to some degree bc Nour is a deviant fire-user. If they have illusion, they can also use it to a certain degree. In certain cases, L may be able to help fake it for MC as one of their attunements is fire and it behaves differently than typical Theian fire magic as they are Starfellan. Otherwise, MC will refrain from using their powers around people who don’t know who they are.
Oh. I didn't realize MC's disguise will be unknown for the rest of the ROs for TAHT long 😭 idk I thought they'd get to know sooner but be like. "Well this fucking sucks ass but we don't want you dead nor do we need another war" while we all figure out this mess.
Unfortunately I think that just puts everyone who isn't Rynn or Sam out of the game for my mc lmao. Or L since it seems like they can start crushing on us regardless of us actively flirting with them? (Correct me if I misunderstood this one).
Like they're so dedicated to the bit, and I fear no hotties will be able to make them risk it unfortunately 😔 when being competent backfires (you fumble half of the hottest people you met).........
Unless we can make them pin for us and/or silently pin ourselves without flirting 👀. Like when Kieran catches us in the latest update - that's more of an uncontrolled reaction than deliberate action. Like the angst of being called not your name is nice and all but IMAGINE.
Longing for someone but having to burry it deep. Knowing you're falling for them but not being able to show it or tell them. Seeing them fall for you too but pretending you don't see it. Pretending you don't feel the same. Hoping that you just imagined it to yourself when you realize they can tell how you feel. Having to reject them even. Seeing the hurt and confusion on their face and knowing YOU'RE the reason.
Or internalizing it all and coming to the conclusion that they can't actually love you. That all their feelings were never meant for you and therefore you can't accept them even if you want this more than anything.
Anyways my mc can't have any nice things at all and I hope they suffer and fumble everything and then suffer again because they fumbled everything <3
Given other asks I’ve received, I think most everyone has a specific expectation of how the story/routes will go to a certain degree, and thus the reveal makes less sense, however I answered an ask under a spoiler cut a while back on the timeframe of the story here. Given the plot line and timeframe, the timing of the reveal will make more sense and there will still be options to engage in more romance before or hold off until afterwards.
