Once upon a time, you were giving everything to earn a place in the music industry's hall of fame. Now, though, all you can do is
Count The Stars is a contemporary romance IF set in the turbulent music industry. After an extreme and public fallout with a beloved rockstar seven years ago, you retired from the limelight and decided to make a living being a faceless ghostwriter instead. By now, you've gotten used to sitting in the shadow of your clients… but when a vibrant up-and-coming star insists on working with you, and giving you due credit, you're forced to think about whether your position is one you are content with, or one you have grown resentful of…
Play as an experienced songwriter, and romance one of four enigmatic characters caught in your orbit. Customize your character's pronouns, fashion preferences & appearance as you navigate the industry as a woman of color in the music industry. Select your ethnic background and watch how your appearance, background and behavior change how peers and authorities within the industry treat you…
Content Warnings: misogyny, racism, and transphobia; explicit sexual content
DEMO / PLAYLIST / PINTEREST
Play as a 27 year old woman of color with custom pronouns (she/her, they/them, he/him, xe/xem, it/its), custom hair, skin tone and eye color choices, as well as custom height & weight options. Determine if you still perform for friends and family, or have sworn off all performance forever.
Niya Qadir (27) she/her
Your childhood best friend turned quirky manager. Positive, easygoing and playful, Niya is prone to jokes and hyping you up. She's your ride or die, and a hopeless romantic despite her particular standards for dating. Despite her peppy outlook, you know she has something of a cynical streak, especially when it comes to work. A chronic overworker, family woman and your biggest fan from day one, regardless of if you're in love with her or not, you can't help but worry for her when her family starts reaching out for her help…
[friends to lovers slownburn]
Alex Kaiser (29) he/him or she/her
Once, you were close. Once, you were in the same band—until a big fight broke the group up, resulting in the two of you going solo. Being as close as you were, maybe it was inevitable for Alex to start telling journalists and peers what she/he thought of you… perhaps if he'd/she'd been more aware of how much power she/he had, even then, you wouldn't be here… but for all you know, it was a targeted campaign to force your resignation. Regardless of how you feel about her/him now… Alex is the sole reason you became a ghostwriter, and regardless of how you feel about being one, her/his name leaves a bitter taste on your tongue.
[friends to enemies to lovers; optional: enemies with benefits]
Keyse Abdi (32) they/them
You meet Keyse at your cousin's wedding, and manage to hit it off. Whether you saw them perform, or they saw you, you bond over a shared passion for music, though Keyse pursued it within a classroom, whereas you're in the big leagues. Keyse is so far removed from your world, and yet… sometimes it feels like exactly what you need. Sometimes, their ignorance is a welcome reprieve from the unpredictable direction your life's taken—even when their outlook simplifies your complex life sometimes.
[friends to lovers; optional: friends with benefits]
Danielle Ramirez (24) she/her
Your newest client and an up and coming popstar, Danielle is vibrant, exciteable, passionate and kind—on top of seeming quite shrewd and aware of her position as a nepo-baby of a renowned movie director. Though she seems a tad childish and ditsy to her manager, and lacks any sort of writing skills, her talent for performance is genuine—and admirable. If only she would stop switching out boyfriends like a toddler does toys...
[customize your dynamic and choose between a rivals to lovers or friends to lovers experience]
Thoughtful, understanding and kind, Shana is the eldest daughter of the ancient Aatkani household. At 27 years old, she is considered one of the quickest spellcasters in recent history, though she lacks any material credentials beyond hearsay. She is a curvy, 5'7 tall woman with loose auburn curls, warm brown skin covered in freckles, and large brown eyes. Shana is playful, charming and witty, always willing to throw herself to the wolves for strangers' lives. As a folkhero to her home, her selflessness extends to you, even if you fight her every step of the way.
In the Night, In the Dark is an interactive fiction game currently being developed in Twine. Inspired by works such as House of Leaves and The Magnus Archives, ItNItD will focus heavily on horror with elements of romance.
Current Rating: 18+, CW list TBD
The housing market sucks, to say the least, so when you stumble across a listing for a ĥ̴̩ô̸̮̱̻̜̒͗̋̅u̶̗̦͖̯͈̽ṣ̷̨̞̼̏͛͋͝e̷̝̱͎̮͕͐̈ in the suburbs that's only a few minutes away from your new job and it's not rip-out-your-hair expensive—well, who could blame you for thinking it's kind of a dream come true?
Sure, it's been on the market for several months despite the absurdly cheap price considering the size and location. And, yeah, the last owner only lived there for two months before listing it. And, fine, okay, it definitely needs a little TLC.
But beggars can't be choosers, and the owner is eager to sell. So, you buy it.
Unfortunately, the mold growing in the bathroom and the outdated kitchen cabinets are the least of your problems.
A fully customizable MC - Choose your name, pronouns, appearance, background, personality, etc.
Adopt a cat!
Explore an ever-shifting ḣ̵̯̐o̶̞̜͆ŭ̶̡͉̄͠s̵̹̜̀̅̓e̷̢̼̗̍͐, but be careful—death lurks around every corner.
Meet the entities that you share your h̵̞̜̜͗ǒ̶̼̞͖̐́u̷̧͇̪̐͂s̴̞̒̐e̶̙̻̝͗̈́ with. Ask them to pay rent at your own risk.
Determine who to trust. Choose wisely.
Solve the mystery of your new h̶̟́̐̂̄̂͜o̴͉̗͙̟̰͗̉͠͠ͅm̵̜̙̩̮̙͇̑̔̏̐̚ê̷͎͒͊̓͝!
What resides in the heart, visceral and pulsing? Will you bare yourself—naked, trembling, pitiful—or will you find your teeth and devour that which threatens you?
Margaret Littlewood (F) - Your resident poltergeist. She's fond of wandering the halls in the dead of night, wailing, with little regard for your sleep schedule. She also has a habit of throwing objects at your head when you try to talk to her. Sometimes, though, you catch a glimpse of her gazing out of the windows and think she looks. . . sad. Could it be worth pushing past her prickly exterior to try and get to know the woman she once was?
Bee Liall (NB/F/M - Player Determined) Your neighbor—human, thankfully. They seem surprised when you arrive with the movers, but they're quick to warm up and welcome you to the neighborhood. Considering what awaits you within your new home, you can't help but appreciate their immediate friendship. The longer you know them, however, the more you realize something is slightly off about your neighbor. You can't quite put your finger on it, though. It's probably nothing.
just hopping on here to say IM STILL WRITING CH 1 i hit a horrifying bit of writers block while introducing keyse unfortunately but im chipping away at it. i am also reviewing the coding, mc customization, as well as some story details, which is why i hesitate to give a new estimate/deadline.
in the meantime, my ask box remains open even when im not super active! so im open to scenario asks and the like if anyones interested. im also fine doing oc ask games if people are interested but for now!! thanks for reading and sticking around :D
Sarcastic, optimistic and shrewd, Karim is the middle child of the Salah family, who own a bakery in the mining town of Kupfer. He is a fat, 5'5 tall man with curly dark hair, darker brown skin and sharp brown eyes, and at 25 years old, the youngest mage to pursue the title of Professor. Karim is bold-hearted, eloquent and passionate, and always seems to be tinkering away at something. As an artificer, he is a pioneer in the field, as until now, magic has been a luxury afforded only to the upper class...
YES YOU MAY!! christening this blog with keyse bc they deserve it
[1] What first impression do they typically make? Are they likeable from the get go, or take time to grow on people?
Keyse can come off a tad apathetic and cold at a glance, but as soon as they open their mouth it's clear they're just a bit dead faced. Their voice gets pretty animated pretty quick, and have that teacher disposition that makes them pretty approachable 💚
[14] What does it take to make them laugh, and what does their laugh sound like?
it doesn't take that much to make them laugh. They like wordplay--they can appreciate low-hanging puns but prefer crafty double entendres--and they like visual comedy. An expression, popping up from behind something--nonviolent physical comedy.
Their laugh is a chuckle that sounds like the ending of a song, slow and comfortable and as if winding down. It sounds like confidence that is comfortable and understated, low and unpolished.
They're not one for loud laughs, but if you manage it, it's like lightning or thunder--a brief explosion of light.
[15] How do they act around people they don't like?
overly nice and polite. kind of sounds like a thesaurus
uses very office-formal speak. Henceforth. Until further notice. etc
