Ugh I tried to post this FOREVER ago, but the image just wouldn’t upload, so naturally I just forgot about uploading it altogether until today.
Welcome to “The Deep Unknown” at last!
ANYWAY, now that I can finally get this up, I am here to announce working on a visual novel! I’ve put my comics on indefinite hiatus, as they proved to be just too art intensive for me, and it was all a big strain on my story-telling ability too.  I think visual novels will make a good step back towards something more story-heavy where I don’t have to gut quite so much of what I write, but with the added bonus that I will still get to work on my art skills at the same time, while letting me focus on making a few images look really nice as to a pile of really mediocre images as I had to do in making comics. Â
And already things look so much better :D  I don’t claim to be a good writer or a good artist, but I think this has been really good for my self-confidence in both. Just today I finished making a private “yes you can do this” working demo of the first chapter, complete with GUI and some other functions I want to have in the final project!  My goal is to have a public demo of the first two chapters before Nanowrimo starts, which is when I’ll be finishing the script (currently at 40,000 words).  It’ll be a stretch to finish it by then, but I’ve already got a list of things I’ll be cutting out of demo to make that task easier on myself.  It’s mostly just sitting down and editing the second chapter and then if I have time, I’d like to include that chapter’s CGs as well.
But enough of my rambling about myself, you’re probably wondering who these jerks lovely protagonists are!
From left to right:
Groriu is a large and powerful Loremna'tat of the deep, who's definition of 'polite' doesn't seem to match up with everyone else's.  He is perceptive, condescending, and unafraid of speaking his mind-particularly when he deems the actions of others to be foolish.  Though not easily rattled, he doesn’t act particularly brave either, so it’s unclear why he’s sticking with the group if he’s already so convinced they will fail.
A timid youth of the typically peaceful and highly sheltered Mu’etti, Vane is convinced that just about everything in the ocean is out to kill him.  Easily spooked on top of being a little paranoid, he takes a lot of patience to talk to until one earns his scarcely given trust.  In stressful situations he can sometimes keep himself calm by breaking people and creatures down into sets of biological parts and behavioral patterns.  This has garnered him a vast knowledge of sea life and how it all relates to one another-knowledge that could greatly help the cause if he feels comfortable enough to share it.
The bearer of a family curse, Makani has always wished to solve her problems by herself rather than rely on others, which often puts her at odds with the Ame'sol people's community-focused nature.  Though she loves helping others, she just would rather never see the other side of the coin.  Unfortunately she’s more than a little out of her depth out here in the middle of the sea, and learning that it’s okay to be saved from time to time, especially from herself, is something she will have to learn.
A warrior of great esteem of the Nenet People, Kameckt is never lacking in confidence, especially in the belief that he is the bearer of some great destiny. Â He fancies himself the leader of their troupe, and while he does have more experience than the rest of them, he seems to think that the louder he yells the more automatically better everyone will be at their job. Â A never ceasing fount of optimism, he tries to flip the faults he sees in his allies into something positive. Â Perhaps that is why he has so much trouble seeing his own shortcomings, or is he just very good at ignoring them?
