I've talked in the past about launching a Patreon and that's something I'm working towards. One of the tier perks would be access to interactive TTRPG games with characters from Zorlok (and beyond...). So, I wanted to get an idea of what campaigns people are interested in (but, in the future, these polls would be reserved for specific Patreon tiers). The top two will have at least one episode each—meaning one in-game session—available on Patreon when it launches. Here are options for the first round. If you have any ideas or suggestions, feel free to send those in. Under the cut you can find more info on the concept, each idea, and a list of characters I'm thinking of as potential players for each campaign (there will be another poll to determine the casts once the first round of voting closes).
Note: you will be able to vote for your second choice in a separate post.
Which of these ideas most appeals to you? (read more below)
sexy, regency-ish fey court
murder mystery at a monster university
apocalyptic "zombie" survival story
cyberpunk fairy tale misfits
magical, gothic spaghetti western
spaceship horror story
Voting ended onMar 29, 2023
More details on the above options:
The Idea
Many people spend their nights at the Casper Guild Hall. From locals enjoying the atmosphere and amenities to travelers looking for a bit of fun, everyone is welcome within the guild's warm, wood-paneled halls. You first come to this establishment to learn more about the open TTRPG campaigns run by the guild's founder, Fallyn Hart. All are welcome to join in, so what games will you play?
The campaigns are presented as branching narratives within a unique interactive fiction game. This game is non-canonical and set before the events of Zorlok. Create your character and the PCs they play as. Enjoy compelling tales with high variability and replay value. Play alongside a fun cast of characters and interact with them both in and out of your campaign sessions, learning more about them and building meaningful relationships.
The Campaigns
The character lists indicate which story the character is from and if they would be an RO option in the campaign. If the character has a post where you can learn more about them, that will be linked the first time they appear on this page.
Z = from Zorlok, M = from Mousetrap, HK = from Hades' Kitchen, CG = from Creating Goncharov, SP = from System Processing; if RO is included after, there would be optional sexual/romantic/both relationship options for that character
Keep in mind, these are potential lists (they're just the characters that would likely appear in the next poll where the top 3-5 would be chosen).
(1) sexy, regency-ish fey court
If you're familiar with A Court of Fey and Flowers: yes, basically that. If not: political intrigue where you play as a representative of a fey court hanging out with other fey at a magic festival. Optionally, very sexy and/or romantic. Always, very fun and chaotic. [ choose your fey court and your position ]
Potential RO characters: Dev (Z, RO), Celestial (Z, RO), Danny (Z, RO), Ciel (Z, RO), Rose (Z, RO), Adam/Eve (Z, RO), EJ (Z, RO), Nasir (Z, RO), Andrey (CG, RO), Katya (CG, RO), Adonis (HK, RO), Cecil (HK, RO), Alaric/Aria (M, RO), Jovy (M, RO), etc.
(2) murder mystery at a monster university
Students at a university (for monsters) find themselves trying to solve a murder—some hoping to get justice for the victims, some hoping to clear their own names, some hoping to come face to face with a murderer. Who knows? Maybe the killer is closer than you think. [ choose your monster and your major ]
Potential characters: Adam/Eve (Z, RO), EJ (Z, RO), Danny (Z, RO), Ciel (Z, RO), Rose (Z, RO), Lucía (Z, RO), Max (M, RO), Emerson (M, RO), etc.
(3) apocalyptic "zombie" survival story
Set in the recent past, explore a world where an infection is turning people into something... else—sapping away their senses of self and grasps upon reality until they become violent, undying strangers. A blend of thrilling horror and emotional drama. Will you find conflict, friendship, family, love, or passion in a world that's falling apart at the seams? Or will you lose yourself to the infection? (part The Last of Us, part Tokyo Ghoul) [ choose your background and your talent ]
Potential characters: Tommy (Z), Ciel (Z, RO), Danny (Z, RO), Lucía (Z, RO), Adam/Eve (Z, RO), Dev (Z, RO), Ainsley (Z, RO), Nasir (Z, RO), Harlow (Z), Laðə (SP), Hero (HK, RO), K Ishida (HK, RO), Rose (Z, RO), Max (M, RO), etc.
(4) cyberpunk fairy tale misfits
Play as a character from a classic fairy tale reimagined in a cyberpunk dystopia. Work to take down an organization bent on keeping you and your peers in line, preventing you from straying anywhere off the path of your "happily ever after." [ choose your fairy tale character and your job ]
Potential characters: Ciel (Z, RO), Dev (Z, RO), Jovy (M, RO), Cecil (HK, RO), Celestial (Z, RO), Danny (Z, RO), Sofia (CG, RO), Ice Pick Joe (CG), Alaric/Aria (M, RO), etc.
(5) magical, gothic spaghetti western
Pages from old spaghetti westerns and penny dreadfuls are shuffled together and you're unlucky enough to exist within the resulting story. Try to survive a uniquely hostile and unforgiving environment that evolves with the turn of every page. Who are you? What are you becoming? And how will your tale end? (if it ever does) [ choose your ancestry and your power ]
Potential characters: Lucía (Z, RO), Ciel (Z, RO), Adam/Eve (Z, RO), Goncharov (CG, RO), Ice Pick Joe (CG), Max (M, RO), Harlow (Z), etc.
(6) spaceship horror story
You and your crew have just finished your terrestrial mission to a distant exoplanet and are finally on your way home when things begin to go awry. Your ship seems to have a new tenant, but what does this stowaway want and what will it destroy to get it? [ choose your species and your job ]
Potential characters: EJ (Z), Lucía (Z), Ciel (Z), Danny (Z), Rose (Z), Tommy (Z), Clara (Z), Jin (Z), Nasir (Z), Harlow (Z), Hero (HK), Jovy (M), Emerson (M), Ov (SP), etc.
Play as a deceased chef given the opportunity of an (after)lifetime in Hades' Kitchen. The story follows a cooking competition set in the Underworld from Greek myth. Hades' Kitchen is a character-driven interactive fiction story about rivalry and redemption.
Hades' Guide, a codex containing the lore bible and character database for both Hades' Kitchen and Neo Olympus (a second series that will take place in the same universe), is available here.
The demo release is currently tbd. The first season will consist of eight chapters: seven episodes + a prologue.
Content Warning: Hades' Kitchen, this blog, and its discord server are rated 16+ and the game will eventually have optional 18+ content. The game will contain swearing, alcohol and drug use, sexually suggestive content, light violence, and discussions about trauma, grief, terminal illness, and death.
So you died - very sorry about that - but this doesn't have to be the end of your story. Since you're such a talented chef, we want to make you an offer. We can either send your soul to Asphodel now, or you can refuse to accept that dull fate and audition to become a chef for our royal family.
Now, this isn't a guaranteed position. You'll be competing against twelve others for one spot and it'll all be filmed for a TV show. I understand these shows are quite common in the Upperworld, so you're likely familiar with the concept. However, it'd be wise to expect the unexpected. We aren't limited by mortality, so we can afford to spice things up with magic and monsters and you'll probably be fine.
You could end up in Asphodel, but you might not. Each time someone's eliminated their fate is randomly reassigned. The longer you stick around, the higher your chances of getting sent somewhere better (...or worse).
If this sounds a bit overwhelming, remember you don't have to go through this alone! You'll have the crew, the judges, Adonis, and, of course, your fellow contestants. I've met them all and I can assure you, for the most part, they're lovely people. You may even recognize some from your mortal life.
So, what are you gonna do? Do you believe you can win? Will you risk your fate for a chance at something greater? What do you say?
Will you compete in Hades' Kitchen?
- Fully customize your protagonist
Name and nicknames
Gender and pronouns (custom options)
Physical appearance
Taste and culinary background
Personal history and key life events
- Define your protagonist's personality and watch the narrative voice evolve with them
- Use and improve various skills to unlock unique choices, scenes, and dialogue
- Build relationships (good and bad) with a compelling cast of characters including your fellow contestants, mentors, and a handful of Greek gods
Six love interests (five gender selectable)
Complete storylines for asexual, aromantic, aro/ace, or simply uninterested MCs
Two poly routes (either T + K or Hero + T/K/C/[redacted])
- Explore a world that blends Greek myth with science fiction
Shar Patil
The Artist. A culinary wizard with a stoic yet playful nature. They keep their distance and do their best to avoid getting close to people.
Shar is romanceable and gender selectable: Sharvari - cisgender female (she/her), Sharva - agender (xe/xem/xyr), Sharvin - cisgender male (he/him)
{Inspiration | Tag}
K Ishida
The Home Cook. An altruistic goof who claims they just want to help, but there's something hiding beneath that grin. There has to be. Right?
K is romanceable and gender selectable: Kenji - cisgender male (he/him), Kairi - transgender female (she/her), Kira - x-gender neutral (they/them)
{Inspiration | Tag}
T Sarpong
The Influencer. A free-spirited, chaotic troublemaker who uses their supernatural charm to mask their true intentions and intelligence.
T is romanceable and gender selectable: Thema - cisgender female (she/her), Tano - cisgender male (he/him), Tawiah - pangender (she/he/they/xe/ey)
{Inspiration | Tag}
Cecil Gray
The Celebrity. This arrogant genius has been your bitter rival for years. They behave as if insults and anger are all they've ever known.
Cecil is romanceable and gender selectable; Cecil has the same name whether transgender nonbinary (they/them), transgender male (he/him), or cisgender female (she/her)
{Inspiration | Tag}
Hero of Thebes
The Assistant. Even though they always look and feel panicked, this self-conscious satyr has far more talent and power than they realize.
Hero is romanceable and gender selectable; Hero has the same name whether genderfluid (they/she/he), genderqueer (they/them), cisgender female (she/her), or cisgender male (he/him)
{Inspiration | Tag}
Adonis
The Prince. Creative, clever, and compassionate, this god has a hard time convincing others to see him as a person, not just a pretty boy.
Adonis is romanceable but gender-locked. He identifies as a cisgender male and uses he/him pronouns.
{Inspiration | Tag}
Chef Alex
The Legend. A tempestuous visionary, she's remembered as a prolific inventor and one of the first chefs to explore cooking as a science.
Alex is not romanceable. Alex identifies as genderqueer (nonbinary butch) and uses she/they pronouns.
{Inspiration | Tag}
Chef Julio
The Icon. The first celeb chef and still the most famous, he's known for his kindness, enthusiasm, and humor as well as his many cookbooks.
Julio is not romanceable. Julio identifies as a cisgender male and uses he/him pronouns.
{Inspiration | Tag}
For more on any of these characters: head over to this post, check out their MyShade profiles in Hades' Guide, send me an ask, or join the discord server.
Thanks for reading, all reblogs are greatly appreciated!
Special thanks to the Hades' Kitchen beta readers:
Sorry I've been so quiet on here, I've been going through some stuff which put me in a weird headspace (plus, I wasn't sure what to say after taking a break so I've been postponing writing this update). Anyways, here's some of what I've been working on:
Hades' Kitchen - working really hard on the UI (trying to build it from scratch), getting to a point with the demo that I'm really happy with, also debating doing something for K's birthday on March 3rd (what would you like to see?)
Mousetrap - Working hard on the next update (will include new story up to leaving for the second locations, more in-depth character interactions, expansion on the nightmares available, potential encounters in the tunnel for all six nightmares - not just the "escape" one, and a quick character creator that'll allow you to skip the prologue), this will hopefully be ready by March 5th, but I may have to push the date back a little bit since I have midterms this week
Zorlok - Working on the demo and UI for this one as well, also writing a few snippets about the main characters and getting the intro post ready to drop on March 4th (which will also introduce you to the two main characters and the central conflict of the story)
As a side note, as a way to practice coding/UX design I took a vampire dating simulator I made a while ago and revamped it (get it... revamped it... I'll show myself out). It's really short and was originally done as an academic project so it's mainly focused on channeling the source materials, but if anyone's interested in it, I'd consider releasing it.
Under the cut you'll find screenshots of a lot of this stuff.
(Hopefully, I'll also be less intimidated to interact on here now that I've ripped this proverbial bandaid off 😅)
Nothing for HK that I'm comfortable showing yet, that's all a lot more complicated and doesn't resemble what I'm going for yet.
ZORLOK:
For a little context, this setting takes a lot of inspiration from the 80s/90s so the color palettes are all based on retro posters and graphic designs from these periods (these are just two of the themes and we're still a ways off from the finished product). The choice of symbols is meant to be reminiscent of VHS/movies. Also, that little D20 actually rolls and displays the number when you click it, really proud of that one.
NOTTIVAGO - A VAMPIRE DATING SIMULATOR:
MOUSETRAP [SPOILERS, I GUESS?]:
Here's a little sneak peek at how your dreams will be expanded upon and how you can customize which recurring nightmare your intern will suffer from.
There are six nightmares your intern can be haunted by (four of which you choose from at the beginning of the story, two of which you must lie about to acquire), I'll post more about them on the Mousetrap blog soon if you're curious.
When the update launches a new interaction will be included in the bus scene where Alaric/Aria will ask if you were dreaming. You can choose not to tell them, tell them the truth, or lie about the dream you had.
(It's also worth noting that current save files should still work due to some fancy variable footwork but there will also be the option of the quick character creator)
(Debating whether or not to keep this second bit in the game, lmk if you have any opinions on it)
Reminder, this isn't meant to be a standalone game (yet anyways). It's intended to show you a bit about the world where Hades' Kitchen will take place. In the Guide, you'll find entries about the world and religion, character profiles for the Hades' Kitchen ROs, and cheeky little hints about the future stories I have planned to take place in this setting.
This is only the first edition, I'm gonna continue to add to it as I have time to do so.
Hi, everyone! I've decided to recruit a few beta readers for Hades' Kitchen. I’ll be accepting applications for the next two weeks (until Nov 14) so if you’re interested please fill out the form linked below (and thank you!). I’ll be getting in touch with people by the 21st.
At this point in development I’m only looking for a couple more people, so, if you come to this post after the deadline or aren’t selected during this first round, don’t worry. I’ll be looking for more beta readers in the future and when I am, you’ll be able to find that information here on Tumblr or through updates in the Discord server (linked here).
Thank you for your interest and support of this project! ☺️
* You don’t need to be a native-English speaker to apply. I’m more interested in someone’s ability/willingness to provide insightful, constructive feedback than their knowledge of English grammar and spelling.
