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A New Interactive Novel

A Tale of Crowns is a high fantasy romance with Middle Eastern roots, free to play from start till finish, both on pc as well as mobile! It’s entirely text-based, with choices throughout to shape both your main character’s personality and skills as well as influence their relationships with others. There are four love interests for you to choose from, both female as well as male, each with their own stories and secrets for you to uncover!

❂ THE SETTING

The story takes place in Arsur, a fictional empire within a fantasy universe that draws inspiration from historical settings in the Middle East. Much of it is based on Kurdish culture, drawing from my own experience as a Kurdish woman.

Your character was born and raised in Arsur, where magic is considered a skill no different from reading or writing. Gender, sexual orientation and race have no bearing on social position or class; it is instead only based on wealth and level of education.

The Arsurian Empire itself is overseen by a single ruler known as the Crown. Unlike traditional monarchies, however, the title is not inherited through blood. Whenever the Crown dies, their famed golden eyes pass on to the one chosen by the spirits of this world to be the new Crown: this appears to happen at random, as Crowns in the past have ranged from the poorest farmer to the wealthiest noble.

❂ THE STORY

Their parents murdered and the previous Crown of Arsur assassinated, your character finds themselves on the run as they’ve been bestowed with the golden eyes that mark them as the new Crown.

Unseen enemies at their heels, will they succeed as the Crown, or will they lead to the downfall of the Empire?

❂ CHARACTER CUSTOMIZATION

At the beginning of the story, you’ll have the opportunity to customize your Crown’s name, pronouns, sexual orientation and their skill in magic. You can also customize many parts of your Crown’s appearance: hair color, hair texture, hair style, skin color and height are all up to you and will be reflected in the story as well. Their backstory and ethnicity are the only things that are locked in. The Crown is also locked in as a person of color, as is in line with the setting - their specific race is up to the player to imagine.

As for your Crown’s personality, there are twelve different character traits in total that will be decided based on the choices you make in game. This will subsequently change your Crown’s behavior during story scenes.

The character traits are: Charming/Blunt, Kind/Calculated, Intelligent/Intuitive, Cautious/Adventurous, Flirtatious/Reserved and Assertive/Passive. Some of these will mix and interact with each other in different ways as well!

❂ THE LOVE INTERESTS

Depending on what your Crown’s sexual orientation is, the gender of the love interests will change accordingly to match that. There are four of them in total, and regardless of their gender their titles are as follows: the Sorcerer, the Hero, the Protector and the General. Each love interest will have their own route which you will get to choose from at the end of the common route.

So far, the common route of the story has been completed, and I have started publishing the routes for the love interests! The story overall has 7 chapters so far, with a word count of ~230k, including scene variations. I will release each chapter as I finish it, so the game will be a continuous work in progress. Would you like to know more about the story, the setting, or the love interests? Check out the game blog!

NOTE: This game is not suited for those under 16 years of age! Please keep the age rating in mind.

❂ PLAY THE GAME ❂ DESIGNING YOUR MC ❂ STORY & SETTING ❂ THE LOVE INTERESTS ❂ PINTEREST REFS ❂ FAQ ❂ DISCORD ❂ KO-FI ❂

Last updated: 29 jan, 2022

Art by @artbygaia

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‘Cause there’s no better love That beckons above me, there’s no better love That ever has loved me, there’s no better love So darling, feel better love

-Hozier, “Better Love”

i believe in x/a/crown poly route endgame 😤

Xelara, Soraya (my crown!), and Ashti are from the incredible @ataleofcrowns​, one of my favorite IFs of all time, which I cannot recommend enough! Art is by @xfreischutz​, as part of a line of donation-commisions she did earlier this year. Go give both of them a follow!!

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R - Coronation outfit

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eye of the moon love interests

✨ tala, goddess of the stars and navigation

⛰ dumakulem, god of the mountains and hunting

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Eye of the Moon is an adventure and romance story inspired by Filipino mythology. Check out the game blog for extra content and join the Discord server. Demo coming October 1, 2021! art by @borgdraws

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DUMAKULEM—GOD OF THE MOUNTAINS AND HUNTING ⛰

Duma resides in the mountains on earth, teaching and protecting the mortals within his domain. He is one of the most revered amongst the pantheon because of his reputation as a provider: of sustenance, of guidance, of endurance. Whether hunters are still learning to notch their bows or are tracking down the most elusive of prey, Duma is the recipient of their prayers.

Duma’s unique position as a god coexisting with mortals gives him an accurate scope of the balance between human and deity. He takes the responsibilities that Bathala gave him seriously and fights fiercely for those he is devoted to.

Steadfast yet critical, Duma’s commanding voice and work-worn hands can move mountains.

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Eye of the Moon is an adventure and romance story inspired by Filipino mythology. Check out the game blog for extra content and join the Discord server. Demo coming October 1, 2021! art by @borgdraws

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TALA—GODDESS OF THE STARS AND NAVIGATION ✨

Tala pierces stars through the night sky, turning them into brilliant jewels that guide mortals through the dark. It is said that every time a new deity is born, Tala creates a new constellation in the ocean above to welcome them to Kaluwalhatian. Mortals worship her because without the stars as their map they would be lost in the seas.

No one aside from Bathala, the supreme god himself, knows Kaluwalhatian as well as Tala does. She serves as Mayari’s navigator and right-hand, doing whatever the diplomacy of her sister’s position prohibits Mayari from doing herself. 

Free-spirited and resourceful, Tala’s tinkling laughter and bright eyes illuminate the cosmos.

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Eye of the Moon is an adventure and romance story inspired by Filipino mythology. Check out the game blog for extra content and join the Discord server. Demo coming October 1, 2021! art by @borgdraws

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Lady Rozerîn ❤

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Listen, I'm just not done with this man yet. 😔

Support me on ko-fi! 💕

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Another playthrough, another crown.

This is Zêrîn, they/he. ✨🔥

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forget about politics and saving the empire I want to go on a date with delal in the palace's garden 😔

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Crown to crown interaction!!

My part of an art trade with @gncrezan <33

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Her imperial majesty Crown Sonam of Arsur

Or Sonam finally found clothes and the rest of her body because i stopped being lazy for 3 secondes

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ummm repost from last night bc i had to fix a thing 👉🏼👈🏼

Had to think a lot about Rozerîn these days because she's just that dreamy. 😔💕

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Side characters, my beloved <33

Edit: did a bit of edit w/Tûjo & Heval!

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Ashti and her sea serpent, @ataleofcrowns

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finally playing thru the game BUT had to restart bc i moved laptops but.....currently playing as my blunt and calculating queen Ronahî and yall. The blunt characters are SO FUUUUN!!! the different variations are so fucking good GOD I LOVE THIS GAME

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Xelara’s sweet rose aka Their Imperial Majesty of Arsur