For nearly three years, a mysterious creature has terrorised the region of Gévaudan. Described by survivors as wolf-like and relentless, it kills indiscriminately, taking men, women and children alike, leaving behind only what the strongest could stomach. Many have taken up arms, from simple farmers and hunters to soldiers and even nobles hungry for glory.
None have succeeded.
To this day the mystery remains. Is it a wolf? A hyena? A werewolf? A wizard, or simply a human murderer? Somewhere between folklore and nightmare, between cautionary tale and genuine terror, the Beast of Gévaudan still eludes all.
Only one person knows the truth.
You.
Why?
Because you are the Beast of Gévaudan.
An 18th century interactive fiction set in rural France, while inspired by the real historical legend it is not an accurate historical one.
Play as a werewolf navigating grief, secrets, and survival in a world that would destroy you if it knew what you were. The Church and the Third Estate cast long shadows here, but misogyny, homophobia, racism and transphobia, while rooted in that history, have been deliberately pushed to the back. The fights were fought but the scars remain.
Play as a werewolf who is struggling with control over its form.
Full character customisation: pronouns & gender, hair color and texture, height, skin color, personality (between 4 possible), your job (between Blacksmith and Doctor), and more...
A reverse thriller at its core: you are the killer. You are what everyone is hunting. How long can you keep this up?
Navigate the politics of 18th century France: the Church, the Nobility, the Tiers État, and what it means to survive in a country on a verge of revolution, that was never built for people like you in the first place.
Branching narrative shaped by your choices: what you do, who you trust, what you hide.
Themes of grief, identity, redemption, found family, social and economical class, faith, and the particular terror of being known.
Four romanceable characters all with their own secrets, or, if that’s not your thing, play the friend route
Louisette "Lou" Valet
she/her | the innkeeper
(Lou is a trans woman and a lesbian)
Description: rozy skin often sunburnt, green-blue eyes, red curly hair, and freckles. She has the brightest smile in all the village.
Vibes: Your closest friend, your steadiest constant, the person who stayed when everyone else stopped trying. A friends-to-lovers romance for those who believe that the most terrifying thing in the world is letting someone who already loves you, sees all of you.
Camille Antoine
they/them | the king’s hunter,
(Camille is Non-Binary and Demi)
Description: warm black skin, tall, dark eyes and long eyelashes, with long locs tied in an intricate ponytail, broad shoulders. They're quite strong but in a slender way.
Vibes: they were sent by the king himself to do one thing: kill the Beast of Gévaudan. They don't know they've already met it. Warm, composed, and irritatingly good at everything. They try to hide the weight of expectation on their shoulders. A romance for those who like the workaholic golden one; who wish to see the person behind the veneer.
Alexis Chastel
she/her or he/him | the gamekeeper
(While Alexis gender is selectable, they are more of a "masc" person)
Description: Tall and strong in a heavy way, Tan skin, littered in scars, hazel eyes and a brown buzzcut.
Vibes: more comfortable in the forest than in any room with people in it. Alexis knows this land better than anyone. They know every trail, every creature, every hiding place. Quiet, but not unkind. The kind of person who shows up rather than speaks up. A romance for those who like gentle giants and Strong Silent types.
Hyacinthe
she/her or he/him | the bard
(While Hyacinthe gender is selectable, they are more of a "fem" person)
Description: French-born and Indian-descend, brown skin, dark hair, deep brown eyes, hair tied in a ponytail and a crooked nose. They are on the smaller side of average.
Vibes: Passing through, as always, and armed with a smirk that suggests they know something you don't. Hyacinthe arrives with a song, stays for reasons they won't admit, and leaves before things get complicated. A push-and-pull romance for those who like a reformed rake
[DEMO]
Content warnings: violence, gore, death (including animal and human death), themes of grief and loss, religion and class as sources of conflict, body horror (transformation), strong language.
Went to the bog yesterday to visit the Pitcher Plants in bloom and the Round-leaved Sundew, and also saw two kinds of wild orchid (I believe the one on the bottom left is Rose Pogonia, and the right is Tuberous Grasspink). Damselflies and other insects were loving the heat, and the Song Sparrows and Red-winged Blackbirds singing and flying above definitely didn't mind the bug buffet. Such a cool place!!
