silkfoxwrites

[silkfoxwrites]

This week I fell into a rabbit hole- found a new subgenre I've never explored before. I've been binging it for the last five days and it's been wonderful❤️ Read some amazing stories, and it's given me so much inspiration for my current projects 😃 

[silkfoxwrites]

Hiii i already love your if! its so refreshing to read a story about vampires! I'm already in love with Snow 😍 can't wait to see more of them all! Keep it up!!!

Thank you so much!! ❤️ I'm so glad you like Snow! There's just something about the silent protector/devoted knight (or vampire🧛, in this case) archetype that strikes that perfect balance between protective paramour and forbidden romantic tension!

If anyone has any recs with a silent protector/devoted knight RO pleassse send them my way 😊

[silkfoxwrites]

If you're in the mood for something Primal while you wait for your next dose of something feral 🧛❤️

New Project: Primal

Welcome to the jungle, quite literally! Primal is my newest project, a sci-fi survival erotica romance. While I am definitely still working on SilverBound, I will also be working on this story as well, which will lean more towards explicit/sexual content and exploring the complexities of navigating a relationship where communication is more honest through touch than words. While the demo itself is brief for now, it gives players an idea of what Primal will focus on in future chapters. This first bit is simply an introduction to the story, but later chapters will include choices that will have branching narratives that lead to different outcomes depending on player choices. 

Check out the Demo here!

Primal

A Sci-fi Survival Erotica Romance

━━━━━━ ❖ ━━━━━━

The Crash

In the year 2083, Apollo-9, a research vessel set to explore the fringes of the galaxy, fell from the sky and crash landed onto an uncharted planet. You are the sole survivor of this crash. Thrust into an unknown world with barely any resources and surrounded by predators you know nothing of, your chances of survival are slim. At least they are until he finds you.

Xi'tal.

He's the only thing standing between you and a planet that wants you dead. Your bond isn't just destined. It's instinctive. Dangerous. Primal.

But will that be enough?

Trigger warnings for explicit sexual content, sexual situations, language, and violence. Primal also features sexual situations and touching where consent is not explicitly given beforehand due to language barriers, but never non-consent. 

This is a short demo to gauge interest. This game is rated 18+

Check out the Demo here!

[silkfoxwrites]

I'm absolutely obsessed with this gothic aesthetic! ❤️ Be still, my bleeding heart🥀 

Lost soul, adrift and alone...

The Last Winter Knight's NEW DEMO is finally out! After months of working and reworking virtually every aspect (art, story, code and sound) I'm so excited to share this preview of the brand new version of the game with you all. ;v;

The Last Winter Knight is a Gothic point-and-click visual novel with:

An abandoned castle to explore

A haunting piano-based soundtrack

Lovingly drawn artwork

Mysteries to unravel

A sombre tale of love, loss and betrayal

A sweet suit of armour to haunt

A ghostly knight (you)

Steam | itch.io

[silkfoxwrites]

Angst and Ancient Rome❤️ Need I say more? I'm instantly hooked!!

Suevi is an interactive fiction WIP - Chapter 1 out now!

This story is about finding love and surviving in Ancient Rome... as a Germanic slave.

[Demo Link]

Prologue - 5.5k words (without code)

Chapter 1 - 21.5k words (without code) - added June 8th 2025

[genres: romance, historical fiction, low fantasy, dark]

This book is for mature audience only (18+). It's currently still in early development and everything released is subject to possible change. The book will contain mature themes like slavery, abuse of any kind, sexual content (mostly optional), death of people and animals (the latter for food and sacrificial purposes), diseases, suicidal ideations, homophobia, transphobia, body dysmorphia, possible self mutilation, swearing, attempted non consensual intercourse (this is not a definitive list of triggers!).

There will be trigger warnings at the beginning of each chapter.

This is a work of fiction. Wherever possible and plausible, I incorporate information that is available about how Germanic tribes lived, how Germanic slaves were treated, what life in a Roman city looked like etc.

However, especially about the Germanic tribes, and about the timeframe I chose, there is only very little information. They did have runes but only used them for ritualistic purposes, never to write anything down; they had no written languages. Because of that, actual legitimate information is extremely scarce, and the information that we have is mostly written from an "enemy" point of view - the Romans.

I might somewhat substitute with things we know about the vikings, which technically also were Germanic tribes, but they lived quite some hundred years after the timespan I aim for the main story of this IF to be set in (which is essentially shortly after/around 14 CE).

Other choices and possible changes of actual facts/information about the historical times and people are made for flavour and for the readers' comfort.

Because some people don't seem to understand:

I am not a historian. I am merely one person researching and writing this as a hobby. It will not be 100% historically accurate. It is still a work of fiction and I take creative liberties.

Movies with massive budgets and several research assistants have historical inaccuracies in them. Please let me also have some.

After a skirmish close to the Roman border, you are captured and transported to a city. Your capturer forces you into slavery and sells you off to a patrician family — wealthy Romans, in social and political standings only underneath the Emperor.

Desperately you try to adapt to these new circumstances — you don't even speak their language, know nothing about their culture... It's a whole different world for you. At first, you struggle to even communicate with the people that call themselves your "familia". Will you manage to live amongst them, or will you refuse to obey the rules and orders you are unfamiliar with?

What will your fate be? Will you stay with your new family, will you try to escape to your old family, or will you look for a better future elsewhere?

Will you try to abandon old beliefs and adapt to new ones? Or is the hold of the old Gods too strong on you to let go?

And what role does the person who enslaved you really play in all of this?

Customize your own Suevi — choose your sex, gender, sexuality, looks, the God you mainly pray to and your former occupation (depending on the tribe you are from).

Pick one of five love interests (includes one poly option):

Ing (Ingunn/Ingram), the quiet and angry Cherusci servant (f/m) [Tropes: Friends (to Enemies) to Lovers // Clueless Love // REDACTED]

Aquila (always named Aquila), the cheerful, friendly Roman artist (m/f/nb) [Trope: Sex first, feelings later — Fast burn fling, Slow burn romance]

D (Dewognata/Dagomaros), the Gaul weaver with a tragic backstory (f/m) [Tropes: Rescue Romance // (Not so) Secret Admirer]

Nefer (Nefertari/Neferkare), the chronically tired, sarcastic Nubian merchant (f/m) [Trope: Secret identity/Dark secret]

Xen (Xeno/Xenon), the gentle and wise Greek teacher (f/m) [Tropes: Single Parent // Child as matchmaker // Age gap]

Poly option: MC x Ing x Aquila

Find love, have a good time with no strings attached (flings!) or just do your own thing (and hopefully escape slavery).

FAQ

Support me on Patreon (extra content and early access!)

Support me on Ko-Fi (extra content and early access!)

Buy me a coffee (and have my eternal gratitude <3)

Popular tags (for each RO, RO reactions etc.)

Physical description RO's

RO Moodboards

Play the demo here!

Immersive playlist (Youtube Music)

Also, this is my first IF and I haven't written anything major really for the past 10 years — so I might be somewhat rusty in some parts and completely new to other parts (namely, ChoiceScript). If you have tips, tricks, resources to learn/get better and constructive criticism, or you found any bugs or mistakes in my demo, I'd love to hear from you!

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you'll enjoy my story!

[silkfoxwrites]

Was there supposed to be a clothing choice that wasn't implemented? Because my m!MC is suddenly in a dress

Just updated now :) The clothing choice should be active and implemented, please let me know if it gives you any issues in the most recent build!

[silkfoxwrites]

Chapter 1 Update

Clothing Options, Spelling Errors, and Slight End of Chapter Edit

Good morning!

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend so far :) Just a few updates this time! I've updated this most recent build to where MC can choose the clothes they change into. Whatever they choose will then be referenced in the rest of the chapter. A dress is still an option, but now there are three other clothing options as well! I also corrected some spelling errors and added a paragraph or two to the later half of the story so that MC's emotional reaction to things  felt a bit more authentic/fitting. 

Also, I want to send a HUGE thanks to everyone who took the time to read the potential prologue to The House of Noctus and shared their thoughts with me, including Solrein, Nemision, PLanManz, SparkleMarkle/werewolfxhunter and Hellionbiz/Dailydumplings! You all have been absolutely amazing, and I can't overstate how valuable your feedback and insight has been! If you read the prologue and don't see your name here and would like to be listed, please check your email :) I like to make sure I have permission to list you beforehand because I know that some people prefer to remain anonymous.

Enjoy your weekend and happy gaming! <3 

[silkfoxwrites]

Writing The House of Noctus has left me yearning more dark IF, so I spent the afternoon replaying Perfumare ❤️ I forgot how much I absolutely adore Reed and his unruly curls ❤️

[silkfoxwrites]

I was going to ask, are vampiric powers a thing in the world you've created? If so, do vampires have unique powers or do they all have the same powers e.g. inhuman speed (which I know is already a thing lol)

Yes, vampiric powers are absolutely a thing!🙂 Certain abilities are common among all vampires (like superhuman speed, heightened sense of hearing and eyesight) but more advanced abilities are much less common (and those powers do differ based on makers, blood lineage, ect. )

[silkfoxwrites]

I enjoyed the demo! But it makes me wonder how we lost our memories 🤔 like was it someone close 🤔 or was it Dimitri possessive ass. Bc I wouldn't put it past him, he seems to have a thing for us. Im thinking we were either together at one point, and he lost bc of Lestat, so we married them instead 🤔. Another idea is they were our marker. lol I just letting my thoughts run through, lol. But I can't wait to see where the story goes.

But do make sure to take breaks and drink plenty of water.

Oooh I love all the ideas as far as how MC lost their memories and what sort of prior relationship they had with Dimitri! Hehehe all I will say is that the plot is full of red herrings 🙂You're definitely onto something as far as there being a prior relationship between Dimitri and MC! 😃 I'm in the process of writing a prologue for THoN(only a couple hundred words) that gives another hint as to how MC lost their memories🙂 Thank you for the kind words 💗 Please make sure to take care as well!

[silkfoxwrites]

Hey hey! Excited for this new game and seeing what it's all about!

Some of the LIs look pretty interconnected, could this lead into a triangle poly? Whether it be canon or head canon u think?

Oooh I was waiting for this question to come up! 😄  So, I'm of two minds about this one. Picturing MC and the world they live in, I could definitely see some of their relationships leading to poly triangles. Snow, for example, would be all about MC's pleasure, even if it meant sharing them with someone else. But I also see some of the ROs (*cough* Dimitri) being pretty possessive. I think what I will likely do is take a poll at some point and see how many people are interested in poly routes. If I incorporate them into the game, they will be optional. Players will be able to choose whether they want to pursue each RO individually, or if they would like to pursue poly routes (and not all ROs will be available for poly routes. Dimitri is most definitely not the sharing type 🤣).

[silkfoxwrites]

lestats name being lestat is giving me flashbacks from iwtv

Ironically I've never seen all of IWTV, but I've caught bits and pieces of it in passing and I can definitely see why! 🙂 Two hot blonde vampire guys 💗

[silkfoxwrites]

Quick Update- Pronouns now selectable

Hi everyone :)

Quick update! You can now select which pronouns you play with , as well as whether you'll be referred to as Master or Mistress! Please let me know if there are any areas where I missed this. I wanted to make this update as soon as possible since this was what I'd initially intended upon the game's inception and adjusting some of the variables wasn't as complicated as I'd initially anticipated :)  Thank you for your patience <3

[silkfoxwrites]

Are all the romance options gender-locked male?

For now, all the romance options are gender-locked male. I've considered changing this to where the player can select which genders ROs are, I would like to offer this option at some point in the future. But right now I'm still fairly new to IFs, and with me still learning the basics of coding, I'll need to really delve into how to do this and take the time to learn more than the bare basics like I've done thus far hehe. So hopefully this will change at some point in the future 💗

[silkfoxwrites]

I am so excited for this game! Do you have a rough timeline of when the game will be finished? Will it be free or can people eventually pre-order it? Thank you

Thank you so much!!!💗 I'm so happy that you enjoyed The House of Noctus and that you're looking forward to playing the rest of the game 🙂 No rough timeline yet (a lot of it depends on how crazy my day job gets haha XD ), but I will definitely post an update here once I have a general idea of when the game will be finished. The game will always be free!! 🙂

[silkfoxwrites]

I checked this IF out about a week ago and the writing in it is superb, so immersive!! ❤️

God-Cursed - IF

DEMO link

You were found as a newborn, clutched in the arms of your dead mother at the base of a tree. No family came to claim you, but the men who came to your rescue adopted you as their own and became the only parents you’ve ever known. Growing up in the village of Stonebrook, you never want for much, until the day you first fall ill. Life plagues you with a mysterious condition that no one can diagnose or cure. You never know when it will strike or if it will eventually kill you. Living between fear and hope as you age, you try to come into your own as an adult with the ever-looming threat above you. As years pass, your condition seems to improve, until a mysterious mark appears on your body and opens up new questions.

It appears that you’re marked for death with no answers as to why, and your only chance to survive is to go out and seek them.

Journey through the land of Iroda, a fantasy world where the gods have abandoned their people and magic no longer prevails as it once did. Something is brewing that may change this world forever, and you’re in the middle of it, though your role is a mystery you must solve. Wanted dead by some and alive for mysterious purposes by others, you just want to survive. With the help of a few friends, find the answers that you need, and make your choices.

Customize your character’s looks, gender, sexuality, and personality. Choose to pursue someone in romance, friendship, or as simply a means to an end.

For those aged 18+ only.

Potential triggers/topics of sensitivity include, but are not limited to:

Swearing and adult language

Violence

Blood, possible gore

Injury, sometimes severe/life-threatening to the MC

Animal death (natural) and in reference to self-defense and food

Optional sexual content (explicitly detailed)

Nudity

Touching (non-sexual) without specific consent (this work is not written with specific touch-aversions in mind)

Chronic illness with severe symptomatic episodes

Childbirth with complications resulting in death and allusions thereof

References to pregnancy for side-characters and MC’s birth mother

Death (human, unnatural, accidental)

Abduction of MC (possible feelings of helplessness and fear)

Religious trauma

Cults

Depression/Anxiety/Panic

Nightmares

Disparaging thoughts

Substance use and references/use of alcohol

Canines, some aggressive

This story will have four main love-interests, detailed below, and one “mystery” romantic option. In addition, for readers that wish, there will be optional physical-only encounters that can occur with two of the ROs and a couple characters that your MC will encounter in the world. Should your MC wish to woo one of the love-interests, they will eventually be locked into that relationship. There will be no poly options for this story.

In the world of God-Cursed, MCs will be free to explore all relationships to a certain extent before making any permanent choice. Until then, flirting is regarded as simply another aspect of socialization. If your MC is the flirtatious type, they will not be “punished” for it. A couple of the ROs may be a bit anxious about your MC’s interactions with others if feelings are stirring, but it will not do permanent damage to the relationship you’ve built.

Your MC will not only be able to flirt with ROs either. Regular characters that you come across may have flirt options that will not lead to any sort of relationship, but might be useful in flattering your way into their good graces. Perhaps your MC may earn a permanent discount with a merchant or pull a secret from a cult member after making them blush from flattering speech. Or, your MC may irritate someone who doesn’t appreciate the advances, making your task more difficult.

Three of the ROs are gender-selectable (and will be cisgendered to your choice). The remaining two (including the mysterious suitor) are locked into male.

Main Companions (romanceable):

Oswin Twinflower

[AKA: Yarrow] (he/him – gender locked)

A childhood friend who’s just not the same anymore. Once a free-spirited softie with a perpetual smile and a penchant for mischief, Oswin has grown into a dour adult. After he came of age, he slowly distanced himself from you. In the ten years since, interactions between you have been awkward or downright hostile with no in-between. He doesn’t joke anymore. He doesn’t smile anymore. There’s something lost about his eyes these days…

-Personality: despite that furrow in his brow that says ‘stay away,’ Oswin actually prefers being in the company of others, as he cares deeply for friends and family. He’s organized and thorough – valuing the predictable and structured, and being driven to always improve upon his skills. Oswin can also be self-conscious, hard on himself, and a bit insecure.

-Appearance: standing around 6'2"/188cm with athletic build, Oswin has black hair that is slightly wavy and kept to his ears, bright-green hooded eyes, and brown skin with bronze undertones. He has a firm squared jaw, which is often prickled with light scruff. Oswin most often scowls, even when he doesn’t necessarily intend to. He dresses in simple tunics with leather armor and boots, and isn’t one for frivolities save for a special tattoo & necklace hidden under his clothing. A few notable scars mar his flesh, each telling a story. His sword is always kept at his hip.

-Occupation: Oswin makes his living as a sort of mercenary (though, he’d insist on being called a “hired hand”), mostly escorting wealthy merchants from town to town. He also helps as a local guard and is very popular among the villagers. Having trained with one of your fathers in the arts of sword and bow, he’s renowned as a formidable combatant.

-Fun fact: loves honey – is terrified of hates bees.

Zahn

(gender selectable)

A sweet and fun soul whom you meet along your journey. Zahn is just trying to fulfill their duty to their faith. They seek to help you in anyway they can, though there’s something torn behind their smile. Where did this fun-loving acolyte come from, and why do they look so sad when they think no one is looking?

-Personality: social and sweet, Zahn is enthusiastic and open-minded about most things. They’re incredibly flexible (in mind and body) and see possibilities in everything, being highly adaptable and skilled at improvising. Casual, warm, and always friendly and willing to lend a hand, they can make a very trustworthy companion.

-Appearance: about 5'5"/165cm tall with a petite build, wild blond hair and round blue eyes, Zahn has fawn colored skin with a rosy hue, and a dusting of light freckles with a touch too much wind and sun across their cheeks and nose. They appear a bit tired with slightly sunken eyes and a mite too thin with the lines of their jaw and neck a bit too pronounced – evidence of years of difficult living. If they grace you with a toothy smile, you may be lucky enough to see the slight gap in their front teeth. Zahn dresses in rough linen tunics, usually with layers to make up for how thin and hole-filled they are. They have a particularly ratty cloak that they seem to cherish. Portrait Link.

-Occupation: acolyte of Din

-Fun fact: They may be a bit malnourished on the small side, but that doesn’t stop them from wielding a bow with scary strength and precision.

Duri’naan

[AKA: Duri] (gender selectable)

A demigod to whom you owe a debt, they seem quite curious about you.

-Personality: charming and laid-back, Duri prefers their own company most of the time but readily embraces tight friendships, of which they never tire – though it is all or nothing for them, no surface-level relationship will work for long. They are perpetually curious and casual, having an air of cool confidence and a love for teasing, which can sometimes make them appear disinterested or cold. They are always paying attention, even if it doesn’t seem like it, and often understand others more than themselves. They can stress easily – especially when things stop being fun, be a bit competitive and too independent for their own good.

-Appearance: standing approximately at 5'9"/175cm with a lithe but toned build, Duri’naan has long and straight grey hair, and honey-brown upturned eyes. Their skin is a warm beige, lit up with a bright smile that sometimes shows off a little sharp snaggle-tooth. They bear a strange scar on the back of their neck and are missing a bit from the upper part of one ear. Duri wears simple clothing made from a single and very long swath of blue-grey linen, wrapped around them in such a way that you’re not quite sure how it stays up. They also hate shoes for some reason and are always barefoot.

-Occupation: just takin’ the air, you know, not fishing.

-Fun fact: Duri’naan has a hobby of stealing miscellaneous things from others just to watch how they react (they always return what they take, leaving the items in strange places).

Rūndis Lyreheart

[AKA: Rune] (gender selectable)

A serious and powerful mage with an oddly fervent dedication to the God of Destruction, Casimir. Though they are capable of wielding great power, they prefer to spend their days as a traveling bard – saying it’s for the purpose of angering their mother. They’d have you think they could not care less about your plight, yet cannot resist lending a hand.

-Personality: Rūndis is an introverted day-dreamer who is curious and in search of deeper meanings at all times. Though they dream, they also have a rational side that comes with a penchant for efficiency and decisiveness. They tend to be calm and analytical, but are prone to anxiety especially in close relationships, making them seem a bit aloof or combative.

-Appearance: standing around 5'7"/173cm, Rune has shoulder-length curly hair that is all black except for a flash of purple on one side. They have almond-shaped purple eyes that are a testament to the magic that flows easily through them, and a beauty mark just under their right eye. They have a strong build and brown skin, wearing a stoic and serious expression that you wouldn’t expect from a bard. Rune favors fine robes and cloaks in colors that match their eyes, but only when they choose to stand out, otherwise they prefer common clothing. Tattooed upon their chest as a sign of devotion is the sigil of Casimir. They also adorn themselves with different types of jewelry.

-Occupation: traveling bard (primarily)

-Fun fact: Rune can play about any instrument you put in their hands, but their favorite is the lyre, which they play so well that many audiences have been left in tears.

Other Characters:

-Your Parents-

Dov Northbreaker [Papa]

Your loving papa is a mighty woodsman with an even mightier heart. The typical gentle giant, Dov has raised you with love and care since you were a babe. He’s deadly with an axe, though he only uses them on trees.

Dov is soft-spoken, very introverted, and shy. He has an affinity for animals and carpentry. He loves to create and fix anything and everything especially for his child or husband. Dov is also a very deep feeler and, though the quiet type, wears his heart on his sleeve – easily tearing up when moved.

Your papa is extremely tall and has very wide shoulders with massive muscles built by chopping trees down by hand for many years. His skin is tan, his eyes are brown, as is his shaggy hair, but his beard has patches with dark red running through it.

Kip Northbreaker [Da]

Your fiery da and spouse to your papa, he’s as quick to sass you as he is to shoot a bow. This lovable clown understood absolutely nothing about children, but adopted you regardless when you needed a home. He loves you with his whole being, even if he never lets you win at darts. He works as a huntsman and fisherman, and though his skill is unmatched, his looks and demeanor never seemed to fit his choice in work.

Kip may be the compete opposite of his husband, being extroverted and, often, loud. He tends to be the life of a party, and seeks to make everyone laugh. You grew up with him pranking you as often as possible without doing too much psychological damage.

Your da is above average in height and has an agile build with a good amount of muscle from wielding a bow regularly. He has fawn colored skin, short and wispy brown hair, and hazel eyes. He keeps his beard cropped short and always seems to be smiling. He has a love for expensive clothing and pops of bold color.

-Emre Twinflower [AKA: Aster]-

Your best friend since childhood, Emre is an affectionate soul who would never hurt a fly – though he’d give it a stern talking-to. Being sickly as a child, you were brought together a great deal, especially since his parents are the town healers. You were practically joined at the hip, enough that people believed you were siblings.

Emre is sweet and gentle all around. Taking after his father, he loves to help others and is skilled in medicine. He’s a soft sort and a little bit gullible, which his sisters frequently took advantage of growing up. He was always closest with his big brother, Oswin, and you. He takes what he perceives as failure very hard, so he strives to do things perfectly.

As an adult, your friend is fair-skinned, with wild curly blond hair that reaches his shoulders. Being almost average in height, his frame is quite lean and wiry from his years as a sickly kid. He has deep brown eyes, cannot grow a beard for anything, though he has tried about every tonic combination to encourage one.

Customize your MC

Play as male, female, or non-binary

Pick your character's physical appearance (including tattoos)

Choose a main hobby/skill/career your MC excels at

Get a cool scar with an interesting or embarrassing story attached

Buy 1 of 4 nameable mounts to ride and feed treats to

Shape your characters personality throughout the story (no “personality checks”)

Romance some people or don’t

Create a steady and enduring love with 1 of 5 suitors

Make some life-long friends

Enjoy some aromantic physical encounters with 2 ROs and/or NPCs you meet in the world

Enjoy some romantic physical encounters with all 5 ROs at some point in the story (some ROs will require a locked-in [committed] romantic relationship before you get to this point)

Go on a quest for answers and survival

Meet some gods

Find some demons

See the magic that still lingers in the world

Get the shit kicked out of you and have a few mental breakdowns totally fun times

Demo:

https://wings-of-ink.itch.io/god-cursed

Early Access & Extras (+NSFW): Patreon and Ko-fi

Error Report Form:

Last Update: Dec 2024

Anticipated next installment: Approximately end-July 2025-September 2025 (Subscribers will get access 1 month prior to the public release)

Content: short prologue and Chapters 1 - 5

Current Word Count: approx. 480k (with code, which adds at least 10 pounds)

Twine Template:

https://vahnya.itch.io/

Pinterest:

https://pin.it/5LOcQlPq1

Music: (not my playlist, but highly recommend it)

ASK GUIDELINES Link:

[silkfoxwrites]

The Worldbuilding in this!!!!❤️

Intro Post for my new WIP, “Cantata.” If you haven’t yet read my completed IF, “Viatica,” you can find it here on itch.

Ko-Fi Link Here

A low fantasy IF loosely based on the Italian Renaissance period, with a steampunk edge.

DEMO on Itch

SYNOPSIS

The story is set in Saleste, an empire with a long history of expansionism and colonization. It is a vast, wealthy empire, very much set in notions of classism and noble privilege. And its warmongering has only grown more brazen under the current regis (monarch). Saleste is currently at a stalemate with Tinebaille, a neighboring island nation the empire has repeatedly tried, and failed, to conquer.

Within the empire, technically citizens but not, are the Iredicci. The Iredicci are as much a religion as they are a race—less like priests and more like monks or shamans. The Iredicci can hear and feel the cordis, the harmonic pulse that connects all living things, and they connect to it through song. Iredicci have excellent hearing, but their defining feature is their voice—they have an echo to their voice, a resonance of two pitches at once. The regis asked the Iredicci elders to use their unique gift to help him conquer Tinebaille, but as a peaceful people, they refused.

A simple, nomadic people, the Iredicci were traditionally welcome in all corners of the Saleste Empire. But as steam technology progressed and the push for new resources grew, a prejudice developed against them. The regis spread propaganda against the Iredicci, painting them as an inferior, uncivilized people who leeched off the empire rather than aided it. Over the years they stopped being welcome. Eventually, their travel was restricted, and the Iredicci were forced to live in settlement camps.

You are one of the Iredicci, born into such a camp. The elders sing songs of past travels and wonders you have never seen. Ever the optimists, the elders tell you to take heart. To be thankful you are among friends and family. That things can’t possibly get any worse.

Until they do.

Historians and politicians would call it The Proelium, a righteous battle against the traitorous Iredicci. What it really was, was the systematic genocide of your people. In one night, soldiers attacked every settlement camp across the empire. No one was spared—not the elders, not the children, not your mother.

It was mere whim that you snuck out of camp that evening, a mischievous escapade with a friend that ironically saved your life. You are taken in by your friend’s family and kept safe. But with survivors being hunted and killed, you must conceal your identity. So, you pretend to be deaf and mute.

Journey through the empire of Saleste and beyond. Grow from a child into an adult. Make friends, lovers, allies, and enemies. How will they react when your secret comes to light? Will you abandon your song in favor of machine? Join the rebel forces against the tyrant regis? Will you heal the wounds of the realm and restore balance? Or plunge it further into chaos?

FEATURES

Play as male, female or nonbinary—you’ll be able to choose your pronouns independent of your body type.

Customize your character’s appearance and personality.

Choose your attunement/proficiency with the cordis. This choice will heavily influence gameplay, affecting combat, weapon specialization, character interactions, and problem-solving situations. Choose wisely!

Create 2 character names: your birth name and an alias. The Iredicci have culturally unique names, so your birth name will be limited to a preset selection. But you will go by an alias of your own choosing for most of the story.

Develop your relationship with your adopted sister. Are you friends or rivals?

Romance! Or not. Romance 1 of 4 possible love interests, or choose the platonic route with the best of friends.

Save a wild animal from a hunter’s trap and gain a steadfast companion. Because fur baby.

THE MC

The game begins with you at age 7. When you are 12, your camp is slaughtered during The Proelium. With your voice and heightened hearing identifying you as Iredicci, you pretend to be deaf and mute in order to hide your heritage. The main game occurs 13 years after The Proelium, when you are 25.

ROMANCE OPTIONS

Calliope Cato (she/her)

The inventor/artificer, Calliope can build and fix any machine. She is 2 years younger than you, petite, with gold eyes, rich brown skin and black hair in multiple braids. Her hair and clothes are adorned in rings, belts, and pins which double as tools. She carries a man’s cane sword with her everywhere, which she wields in a fight along with a hand crossbow. She’s curious, optimistic, excitable, and easily distracted by her many projects, but much of that is to keep her mind occupied. In quiet moments when she thinks no one is looking, you glimpse a profound sadness on her features.

Corinne Xenakis (she/her)

The leader of the rebels, Corinne works to overthrow the monarchy and aid the surviving Iredicci where possible. She is 6 years older than you. She is tall, with long, sandy brown hair usually worn in a messy bun or loosely braided bun, hazel eyes, and beige skin tanned by the sun. Quiet, serious and aloof, she feels a tremendous responsibility for those under her command. Corinne is a contradiction—she has the grace and manners of a noblewoman, yet fights with military precision that is uncommon for females of noble lineage. She is deadly when double wielding her flintlocks or axes. While not cold, she is not overly familiar or friendly with anyone, and very tight-lipped about her past. What does she guard so fiercely behind her armor?

Vicente Aloi (he/they)

The bastard prince, Vicente is calculating, ruthless and driven. They are the same age as you, and they, too, lost their mother the night of The Proelium, though under different circumstances. But while you were adopted into a loving family, he is the unwanted son of the regis, trained to be a lethal tool. He has long, midnight blue-black hair, icy blue eyes, and high defined cheekbones. The edges of a tattoo are barely visible on his neck above the collar of his doublet… wings, perhaps? It’s beautiful. He’s beautiful, though you’d never tell him for fear he’d take his rapier to your neck simply for looking. Will your plans align with his, or are you merely another pawn in his schemes?

Bayram Durmaz (he/him)

The son of the Aydem, the matriarchal leader of Tinebaille. Bayram is 4 years older than you. He has golden-honey skin, light brown eyes, and dark brown, tightly-curled hair that he usually wears back in a ponytail or half ponytail. He is tall and broad, muscular but not toned, with a rounded edge to his stomach and chest. A sprawling, colorful tattoo, the mosaic artwork of his people, covers the entirety of his back. He is boisterous, bold, and a shameless flirt. With his young sister bearing the weight of succession, he’s been free to explore the islands to his heart’s content, and is familiar with every bay, inlet, and harbor. He is equally skilled at wielding a spear, sailing a ship, and charming hearts.