Ohio, 1995: It's been six months since your parent died by suicide and three months since you were contacted about a job you never applied for.
Now you work as a Page at a library nestled in the heart of downtown - except this isn't the one you remember from your childhood. This library occupies a non-descript building on a side street ... and only opens its doors after the sun sets.
Out of your depth in this strange, shadowed world, you must navigate new rules, old tensions, and what - if any - relationships you foster with colleagues struggling against their own inner battles.
One thing you know for certain is that the dusty shelves and worn carpets of this place hold secrets both numerous and inscrutable, and they will do anything to escape.
Play as male, female, or genderqueer.
Customize your name, appearance, identity, and sexuality.
Learn about the parent you've lost, establish the relationship you shared, and discover what drove them to the depths of despair.
Struggle with depression; will you let it define you or spur you to action?
Determine what you desire most: is it the secrets of the past, the promises of the future, or perhaps something darker and more primal?
Form alliances for good or ill, make deals or break pacts, and suffer the consequences of playing a game of power older than the place you call home.
Sofia - the sole archivist of the library since the disappearance of her assistant six months ago, she's constantly in motion. Whether she's cataloguing new deliveries, assisting the demanding patrons vying for permission to access the collection, or studying for her yearly re-certification as a mage Sofia seems to always be on the verge of collapse. (romanceable by women only)
Anselm - the assistant manager of the circulation department and your direct supervisor. In every part of his life he is highly ethical and deeply religious, belying the fact that he is a vampire. Anselm considers himself to be a modern man and works hard to live in the present but his past yet haunts him and wider circumstances will force him to face the very thing he fears most. (romanceable by men only)
Darius - the manager of the maintenance department, he shows up when you least expect it, a smile at the ready. He's been on staff since the founding of the library and has a strange relationship with The Library Board. The other staff members suspect Darius and his dour assistant are indebted to Them, otherwise what reason would two demons have for maintaining gainful employment? (romanceable by all)
Robin - the secretary of the director, she hates her job and is constantly finding excuses to be anywhere but her office. This often leads her to the children's department helping the librarian there with story time, event planning, or simply keeping the kids in line. There seems to be something between Robin and the librarian, but what could a young human and elderly fey possibly have in common? (romanceable by all)
Jules - no one seems to know much about the stollid, towering security officer. It's disinclined to answer any questions not pertaining to its job, if it bothers to speak at all. Yet one can't help but wonder what lies behind the stony facade. (romanceable by all)
In times of peace it is easy to overlook the onset of strife.
In a time before man lived in the forest there was a gentle peace between with the spirits. Though true to their nature man wanted more.
You are a Thirdborn, spirit-touched though you've never been able to use your gift. A lack of presentation some would call a blessing, others a curse.
Thrust from your home you will have to journey to learn how to harness your gift whether to aide man or spirit is your choice.
A war is coming, will you be ready?
Warnings: Intended for 18+ audience. Past Child Abuse, Death, Sexual Content, Minor Gore, Violence. (Will update with progression)
Customize your name and appearance.
Play as : Male, Female, Trans, Nonbinary, or Agender.
Pick your "Gift"
Choose your Birth Season.
Learn the secrets of The Great Forest from those meant to inhabit it.
Venture to Spires Ward and learn about one of the oldest cities in all of Aetheira. The only city in the region where those who are gifted can receive a proper education from those like them and lingering spirits.
Be there as history is written.
Suri "A Sun Spirit" Often mistaken simply for a greater spirit Suri doesn't mind. They are relatively easy going in that aspect. As a protector of the forest they are less lax. One of the few true Sun spirits Suri tries to exemplify the traits their parent is said to have. (spirit) They/Them
Prue "The Village Girl" Living at the edge of what makes up the greater spires ward area Prue isn't always an easy woman to find. Used to being alone being Half-spirited, the child of human and spirit. She is one of the kindest people you will meet even if people aren't always kind to her in return. 22 She/Her
Taigan: "The Spires Apprentice" The oldest person at the Spire to hold the title of apprentice due to the nature of his gifts Taigan is special. Considered dual-gifted for how his gifts manifested. He is guarded because as he understands just how dangerous his gifts truly are. 25 He/Him
Caius "The Shadow Boy" The spirit that you've grown up with. Your best friend and the one pushing you to go to Spires Ward. He's known you since he was a spiritling unable to take a form, you are the first bond he has ever made, much to The Great Mothers displeasure.
Amelie "A Greater Spirit" She is one of the many children of the Great Mother and Great Father, a sibling to all other spirits who fall into this category. Amelie will stop at nothing to get what she wants, she answers to the moon.
Note:
This is a side project and prequel of sorts to The Forest. Updates probably won't be as frequent.
Thank you to @midnighthostifs for tagging us in this post, titled "MUSIC ASKS these are actually pretty fucking hard but why not". This is a new post as the original was really long.
A song you like with a color in the title.
Charon: "The Red" by Chevelle. We have great taste, Leo!
Merlin: "Blue Healer" by Birdtalker
2. A song you like with a number in the title.
Charon: "10 for 10" by Magnolia Park
Merlin: "13 Angels Standing Guard 'Round The Side of Your Bed" by Silver Mt Zion (there's probably going to be a lot of weird instrumentals on this list)
3. A song that reminds you of summertime.
Charon: "Pepper" by Butthole Surfers. I have no explanation for this lol
Merlin: "Let's See How Far We've Come" by Matchbox Twenty
4. A song that reminds you of someone you would rather forget about.
Charon: "Walpurgisnacht" by Faun, which was recommended to me years ago by someone I no longer speak to. I love Faun though.
Merlin: "Over Land and Sea" by Lauren Mann (NOT a break up song, despite all the evidence)
5. A song that needs to be played LOUD.
Charon: So very many songs fit this one; the ADHD demands it. I'll choose the one I was just listening to - "Gleipnir" by SKÁLD.
Merlin: "Punches" by Frank Turner. I am incapable of listening to this song without screaming
6. A song that makes you want to dance.
Charon: "Push It" by Static-X
Merlin: "Come Alive (War of the Roses)" by Janelle Monae
7. A song to drive to.
Charon: "Who Laughs Last" by Lord Huron. This is also the theme song for a character in my future eco-horror story.
Merlin: "Wake Me Up" by Avicii. This has been on every one of my road trip playlists since 2013.
8. A song about drugs or alcohol.
Charon: "White Rabbit' by Jefferson Airplane
Merlin: "Sober" by We Are The Movies
9. A song that makes you happy.
Charon: "Difyrrwch" by The Trials of Cato
Merlin: "The Boys are Back in Town" by Thin Lizzy. I put this on my Adventure Zone playlist almost a decade ago and it's still my go to for when I need a shot in the arm
10. A song that makes you sad.
Charon: "Saturn" by Sleeping at Last and Tim Fain
Merlin: "Earth" by Sleeping at Last
(What did this man PUT IN THIS ALBUM WHAT THE FUCK)
11. A song that you never get tired of.
Charon: "Norupo" by Heilung
Merlin: "I am Disappeared" by Frank Turner. I could legitimately listen to this song every day for the rest of my life (and I did just that for several years).
12. A song from your preteen years.
Charon: "Like a Stone" by Audioslave
Merlin: Okay literally no one has heard of the stuff I listened to in my formative years, but I'll go with "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None The Richer
13. One of your favorite 80’s songs.
Charon: "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Eurythmics
Merlin: "Holding Out For A Hero" by Bonnie Tyler (rest in peace)
14. A song that you would love played at your wedding.
Charon: "As the Night" by Timbre
Merlin: "Of Waving Woods and Waters Wild" by Timbre (same album, but from the "Sun" half <3)
15. A song that is a cover by another artist.
Charon: "We Didn't Start the Fire" by Hildegard von Blingin' (I also love the Fall Out Boy and original version)
Merlin: "Working Class Hero" by Green Day. Everything John Lennon did, someone else could do better <3 (Honorable mention to The Violet Burning's "Eleanor Rigby")
16. One of your favorite classical songs.
Charon: "Für Elise" by Beethoven
Merlin: "Die Fledermaus Overture" by Johann Strauss
17. A song that you would sing a duet with on karaoke.
"Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes
18. A song from the year that you were born.
Charon: "Killing in the Name" by Rage Against the Machine. Peak pull!
Merlin: "Losing my Religion" by R.E.M.
19. A song that makes you think about life.
Charon: "Looking Back" by Lord Huron
Merlin: "500 Miles" by Peter, Paul, and Mary
20. A song that has many meanings to you.
Charon: "Strange Days" by Coyote Kid
Merlin: "Day Boy: Photogen Sees The Moon" by Timbre
21. A favorite song with a person’s name in the title.
Charon: "Master Crowley's" by Lankum. This is an instrumental.
Merlin: "Achilles Come Down" by Gang of Youths
22. A song that moves you forward.
Charon: I'm not sure how to answer this one so I'll include the song that helped me focus on my college math homework. "Miracle" by Blackmill. Another instrumental.
Merlin: "The Cave" by Mumford and Sons
23. A song that you think everybody should listen to.
Charon: "Reverse Dance" by Andrey Vinogradov. Instrumentals as far as the eye can see.
Merlin: "Finding You" by Kesha
24. A song by a band you wish were still together.
Charon: "Bone Crown" by Marah in the Mainsail. Their album of the same name is my favorite of all their works, even if they weren't much a fan of it themselves.
Merlin: "Good Intentions" by Coyote Kid. Before they broke up, Marah changed their name and sound but it wasn't enough :(
25. A song by an artist no longer living.
Charon: "Hurt" by Johnny Cash
Merlin: "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie
26. A song that makes you want to fall in love.
Charon: I'm already in love and "Stargazing" by Myles Smith speaks to that love very well. "We were never strangers. You were right there all along."
Merlin: See above: "Salut d'amour, Op. 12" by Edward Elgar
27. A song that breaks your heart.
Charon: "For Fresia" by ANTH and Conor Maynard
Merlin: "The Persistence of First Love" by Timbre. I cannot be normal about this song. This song made my dad cry the hardest I've even seen until the day his father died.
28. A song by an artist with a voice that you love.
Charon: I'm going to choose two for this one. "Misty Mountains (in Dwarvish/Khuzdul)" by Colm McGuinness and "Thunderbringer" by Luke Holt, from Epic! The Musical. Do I have a voice kink? Who knows! (Yes.)
Merlin: "The Calling" by The Amazing Devil. Genuinely obsessed with both their voices and the way they blend ... decadent
29. A song that you remember from your childhood.
Charon: "Livin' la Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin. I have a memory of listening to this in the bathtub as a kid while the radio / cassette player sat on the toilet lol
Merlin: "Journey into the Morn" by Iona. One of the first albums I ever personally owned (stolen from my parents)
30. A song that reminds you of yourself.
Charon: "Body" by Mother Mother
Merlin: "Hello my Old Heart" by the Oh Hellos
Tagging: @thelonelyshore-if and @god-syndicate-if (if you haven't been already)
ASK GAME! Dearest Writer, it's time to do some introspection!
I was tagged by @midnighthostifs. Thanks for tagging us, bestie!
What was your first favorite book
What is your current favorite book
What Genre is your favorite, reading or writing!
Favorite trope?
If you could, what world building or story would you love to have written yourself?
Your favorite line (or three) that you've written?
Favorite medium to experience a story? (Book, IF, video game, movie, etc)
Favorite character versus your favorite character to write: Who would win?
What story keeps inspiring you to keep writing?
Random fun fact about you, your writing, your interests!
TAG ANYONE ELSE YOU WANT TO PESTER WITH THIS!
1.) What was your first favorite book?
Charon
IF: Probably Wayhaven. I blitzed through the books. To this day I'm still in a will they-won't they with A lmao
Books: The Magic Treehouse series. I reread them in my 20s and they were still cute
Merlin
(I don't actually read any IFs lol)
The Redwall series. I was a weird little kid and before I knew anything else about me with certainty, I knew I wanted to be a mouse with a sword. I met Brian Jacques when I was in 5th grade and was a member of the Official Fanclub until his death.
2.) What is your current favorite book?
Charon
IF: The Lonely Shore! Without a doubt. I'm so intrigued by the magic and mystery of it all.
Book: The Murderbot series. I finally realized that I was agender last year thanks to the tv show, which put me onto the books. Thanks, SecUnit 💪
Merlin
My most recent "Oh My God You Have To Read This Book" is "Godkiller" by Hannah Kaner, but my evergreen recommends are "Mr Penumbra's 24-hr Book Store" by Robin Sloan and "Spinning Silver" by Naomi Novik.
3.) What Genre is your favorite, reading or writing!
Charon
Horror, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy. Though I'm extremely picky about what I read.
Merlin
Fantasy, no contest. I'll branch out into other speculative fiction genres but I have almost no patience for anything "realistic" or "literary"
4.) Favorite trope?
Charon
If I have a favorite I don't what it is. Like Midnighthost I have plenty of least favorites but those are for me to know lol.
Merlin
I am a sucker for mutual pining and/or whump. I am a dyed-in-the-wool tragedy lover and any sort of "the love was there but it wasn't enough" trope is like literal catnip.
5.) If you could, what world building or story would you love to have written yourself?
Charon
All the lore relating to the dwarves of Thedas. It's a fascinating concept with some of the best themes in the whole series and it deserves better than being in Dragon Age 😂
Merlin
I feel like such a simp, but the first time I encountered a story where there was an ancient prophecy that turned out to actually be the result of time-travel I just about lost my shit. I thought it was the single most original thing and was so jealous I didn't think of it first.
6.) Your favorite line (or three) that you've written?
"My pistol might be old-fashioned but she's important to me, on account of using it to kill the bastard what turned me."
"We did not say that it wasn't within human nature to desire all knowledge. We said it was not within human nature to have all knowledge."
"Actually, scratch that! I'm not sorry! It was bad enough before, but this is some serious Baba Yaga bullshit!"
7.) Favorite medium to experience a story? (Book, IF, video game, movie, etc)
Charon
I don't have a favorite. Each has their unique aspects.
Merlin
My favorite medium is a tie between traditional novels and tv ... which I guess sort of explains why this story ended up as an IF. It has chapters, but we want them to feel more like episodes in a mini-series.
8.) Favorite character versus your favorite character to write: Who would win?
Charon
Darius is my favorite, but I love writing aggressive characters, like Seth. Darius would win without effort; not all demons are created equal.
Merlin
Anselm is my total favorite, but I love writing the mage characters like Sofia and the Director* because they have the most worldbuilding/plot in their scenes. And although vampires are really powerful as a rule, Sofia would absolutely body Anselm, and Raza could slam dunk them both as a team: he's not the boss for no reason.
*(Raza has barely shown up in the story, but he actually sits in the center of that venn diagram for me lol)
9.) What story keeps inspiring you to keep writing?
Charon
Everything inspires me to write. Even when it feels impossible, my brain wants to write.
Merlin
There isn't any one thing I hold to really. Any time I read a new book, I can feel the new story flowing in and it's like it's washing out the cobwebs.
10.) Random fun fact about you, your writing, your interests!
Charon
I've had brain surgery twice in my life, I enjoy exploring characters and stories that aren't as popular, and I watch a lot of let's players on youtube.
Merlin
I was a podcast host for 10 years, but I will never ever share the links :))
Every vampire is all "oh drinking blood is better than any food, drugs, even sex" but I don't even believe them because all of them were literally made before the invention of really good drugs and before we got all the nice foods from the new world, so I don't trust any of their opinions. Lestat has never ate a potato and Armand hasn't ever even tasted tomaotes. The only guy I trust is Daniel Molloy who has probably tried every drug on earth, has definitely ate nice food and would be a valid judge on how good drinking blood really is.
idk if this has been asked before but i haven't played this if yet and i'd like to know. if i make my mc non binary will i be able to romance the gender-locked ROs?
Hi there! This has indeed been asked before but I don't mind answering again.
Sofia and Anselm are only romanceable by binary women and men, respectively. We know lesbians and gay men can and do date enben, but these two don't.
The other four ROs are all interested in genderqueer (non-binary, agender, genderfluid) MCs though! Jules itself is agender for anyone who might be curious.
Chapter One Word Count: 11,000 (from 8,900)
Total Word Count: 12,146 words
What's new:
Choose whether to shower or bed-rot after waking up
Maybe the children's area is your shelving safe space!
A depression modifier that affects flavor text going forward (and more later in the story)
Opening the Book or Refusing will now have branching reactions inside the archive itself
A few other, small things that we'll let you discover.
Author Notes:
June (and life) has been absolutely brutal but we weren't going to let the month expire without some kind of update. We understand any disappointment that this doesn't include the second chapter but hope you enjoy what changes we've made.
Hurry up, Guppies, you're going to miss your train!
Chapter One is officially live HERE! 🩵
In this chapter, you’ll:
Meet Ambrósio
Moon an entire street
Fight for a taxi (and your life)
Meet the cast and dive into their history with Guppy
Unlock deeper customization for your MC
Arrive at Costa Sul
As always, please drop your thoughts, bugs, and favorite moments in the ask box. Happy playing! 🐟
Ramblings down below
Some notes about the author
First of all, I want to apologize for the delay. I hate not meeting deadlines, but I'm pretty happy I managed to keep a good editing rhythm even when life was… lifeing.
Getting sick, writing a thesis, being an intern... add all of that to a perfectionist who spends hours agonizing over a single paragraph, and you get a delayed passion project 😅
Some notes about the story
In some parts, this chapter is heavier on descriptions than the rest of the story will be, so some scenes might have fewer choices than usual.
Don't worry, it will balance out as we go, pinky promise 🩵
And yes, you read it right; this is the full chapter one. I decided to release the whole of chapter one in one go and push the RO reunions to chapter two instead.
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 ace 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]: coming out on June 30th (the next full moon!) :]
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.
Libraries are sneaky, because once you go in, it's soo easy to get a library card, and once you have one, you can pretty much grab one of everything of all the stuff they have there with no consequence, and take it home. But then once you're home and you've read all the stuff you'll have to go back to the library to return the stuff, and once you're at the library again, you're at the library again, so might as well pop in to see what they got, and then you're hauling half their shit home again, and then you'll need to return to the library to return them, so you're at the library again
And the next thing you know you've read 3000 books, your crops are clear and your skin is watered, an angel descents from the heaven to suck your dick twice a week, and also you've got some books to return so you've got a perfectly valid reason to go pop in to the library. Just a little bit.
The poll technically has a day left but it's pretty obvious that most of you want the revised chapter one released when chapter two is done. Fair enough.
With that settled I can say that the planned release for chapter two is sometime in June 🖤
