#midorea

[hannahcan]

I know I say this a lot but I really miss avatar websites. You just don't get that sense of community on other types of social media. The closest I've come are niche forums. But so many of those are defunct now too. :(

[midorea]

Social Presence

A quick survey to share your impression with the social presence of Midorea.

Social Presence Survey

If you have a few minutes to spare, we’d love to hear your feedback about our social networks!

[midorea]

Background art progress for a scene in the game!

[midorea]

A few question, I don't know if they've been answered but here goes. 1. About what is your current alpha and/or beta release plan? 2. Would you consider sending news update emails? People just have to enter their email maybe in a sidebar on facebook and tumblr? 3. This is an entirely personal question, but will there be any romance features, of any kind? Thank you and I really look forward to the relaunch!

Thanks for the questions @something-better-maybe!

1. Our current (and quite accommodating) schedule should have us finished by mid-fall. It's still early to say for sure, but I’m hopeful considering where we’re at already. 2. I would definitely consider it if there’s interest. 3. We’ve discussed this pretty thoroughly, but the nature of the prequel limits what we can include, and a romance feature would definitely be pushing it. So that likely won’t happen until later installments of the game.

[quietpyre]

The Warden for Midorea

[midorea]

Sample Chapter

A test chapter that takes place prior to the events of the  story.

Setting: Merchant boat, gated city. Right before the story. POV: Yaelsun Valhyr (yale-suune val-here)

Three years had passed since he first set eyes on the gate that loomed before him, immense in size and thrice as foreboding, the torrent of water along its walls thrumming its low roar across the sea. Growing up, Yaelsun had always heard the tales brought back from the city, of its thousand canals and silk covered streets, but none that told of the gate had ever come close to its actual scale, of the wall that stood sentinel at the mouth of the city. A man-made river a hundred stories tall ran across the top of the walls, flowing out to either sides of the gate entrance in a massive waterfall, fed by aqueducts flowing down from the mountains. Blessedly, the river’s portcullis above the entrance remained closed, else the walls of water would be pouring down across the only way into the city.

It had been over three months since their departure for the voyage into the gulf, but even before they left the climate of the city had been declining. Twice his vessel was searched before he even was clear of the holms, with every little thing of value on his ship marked down and accounted for by border officials. The inspection now awaiting them beyond the gates was one Yael begrudgingly had to prepare for, being careful not to rile the suspicions of the patrols, lest he lose the only place he could call home.

Before they could even feel the mist from the waterfall, a patrol vessel swung around from behind to lead them into the city. This is new, he thought, but not out of the ordinary if what they heard along the coast was true. Increased patrols had become the norm, and the day before last they encountered a large fleet headed out of the drowned port.

Yaelsun’s longship had fared well through the night, riding the southerly winds down into the split sea, arriving at the shattered land before the first light of day began to appear. As they sailed up to the gate, the small patrol cog lit a beacon on its prow, signaling their location as they rode up to ask the longship’s business.

"[Shipname], three months out, borne from the gated city." He called out in response, gesturing to the load on deck. "Goods from out of the gulf."

"What province?" The officer shouted back. Even though the Union claimed there was open trade throughout the country, he didn’t miss the interest the patrols showed to vessels traveling from nations outside the Union’s alliances.

"Naquirfa" the longship captain shouted back. "Lunaris silk, gulf pearls, fire corals, and gypsum from the swamp."

In the predawn light Valhyr watched as the man nodded, turning to say something to another crew member, before waving them into the threshold of the gate. The small cog that led them to the portcullis turned to starboard and headed towards a massive dromon that emerged from the morning gloom, looking more like one of Ushe’s sea beasts than a ship.

Before long they were docked at one of the border ports, waiting as the officials scurried across the docks and onto the longship, making marks in the paper books they carried everywhere. The stout captain grimaced and muttered something about tariffs and customs, before filling out the paperwork pushed into his hands. After a half hour of signing, writing, and answering every question the officials made a point to get an answer for, the captain was finally relieved of their interrogation. One of the bolder tariff collectors assured him that the inspection would be finished within the hour, and then he would be free to go. He watched them split apart, three headed below decks, and the other two remaining above, before he took his leave of the ship.

The rest of his crew had already found their way to the local taverns and markets, filling their bellies with food and drink of the place they’d called home in the three years since arriving. Yaelsun walked down the wharf, watching as a menagerie of merchants set up for the day, before he headed over to a wine peddler at the thickest area of the port. The runner was different than when he’d last stopped by three months earlier, but his wares were the same, and for that the captain was grateful. He bought three bottles of the sweet brhen wine, and sampled from a cask of rum the peddler claimed was a new shipment from Usri. He didn’t doubt the quality, but the young province was never known for its drink, and the resulting aftertaste left on his tongue was enough to turn down the second cup offered. He smiled graciously and took his leave, tossing the runner a few silvers more than he should have.

As the hour crept to an end, he made his way from the merchant area and headed back to where his ship was docked, calling out to a few stragglers of his crew, and reaching the officials right as they stepped of the ship. A few more boats had pulled in since he departed, including the dromond that seemed to have garnered a large audience from the patrols.

Yael stiffened as they approached, and prepared himself for the damage he’d have to cover. The last haul resulted in a tariff of 15 aurian and 326 denarian, along with a fourth of the mustard seeds they had brought back from Cyphirias, which were supposedly being put into the Union’s stores. The tarriff collector from before approached him first, smiling as he tapped impatiently at his book.

“Everything seems to be in order, ah, Yael.. sun.” The balding man was wrapped in a lilac palla, shorter than Yaelsun had initially thought, but the way he held his chest made him appear taller than he was. His behavior was different from the others, who seemed to keep their eyes lowered, and resigned themselves to doing what they were bid and nothing more.

The short man put his nose back into his book and spoke up, “All we need is one last mark and the tariff payment.. which came to, ah… 543 denarian and 12 aurian.” The small man bobbed his head as he waited for Yael to reply, making some unintelligible scrawl in the book before handing it over, an x pointing out the place where his mark was expected. “Aye. You all will bleed me dry before I even get my wares unloaded.” The captain signed his full name recognized by the Union, Yaelsun Valhyr, still only a shadow of what his true name had been. The officer retrieved the book from the young captain’s hands and closed it with a thump, calling forth the smallest of their group, a wide-eyed girl no more than fourteen. She held a small board in her left hand, along with a strange counting device in the other. Her palla was a deep green, patterned with the yellow flowers of the Union, while a circlet of gold leaves adorned her head, marking her as a money counter.

After bringing forth their denarians and aurians from the ship’s hold, the young girl quickly went to work counting and marking the coins down on her board. After a few minutes she was done, and the coins were sorted into their corresponding bags. She bowed and turned, speaking not a word, joining her group once again as they began to take their leave.

“Very nice, very nice! The Union will be pleased to have such a loyal merchant back in the capital’s waters again, the wares will be well loved amongst the people, yes, I’m sure of that.” The lilac man bowed and scuttled off, leaving the captain to return to his empty pockets and exhausted crew.

“Where to now, Yael?” Called out a scraggly youth from across the deck. Now that they were clear of the gate and patrols, the longboat’s captain could finally rest his mind, easing back into the thoughts that usually occupied him.

Paella, his thoughts flashed through his head. Oh, Paella! What a gift I have for you, my little one. Without answer, he dashed down to the hold where a box had been set aside. Inside it was a handful of pearls, a doll made from silk, a tiara of coral, and, and…

A small impression in the cushion was all that was left.

[midorea]

Some new background art for the blog!

[midorea]

The water c o n j u r e r