#lovent

[wtfuglydemon]

despite my dream trying to shame me for not being as "good" as i was, i feel rather satisfied that after 3 years of slowly building a hate bubble around my entire family by carefully gathering information about everything people said about each other, leaving crumbs and doubts for them to start building some kind of animosity towards each other, that bubble finally popped.

everyone hates each other and stopped pretending they don't, no one talks to each other and everyone is just trying to move out from here, while i am being given extra attention because as the bubble popped i was given the extra power of being seen as a legitimate threat no one wants to risk playing it. After all this time building for the downfall of this family and i definitely achieved it.

not as satisfying as i thought but i will take a win.

[certainstarfishsandwich]

How Lovent got wiped off the map.

[scratchyemporium]

currently retelling cold war history with crocodiles

[redspringstudio]

Is Eridia the last city?

The previous largest city, Lovent, was the epicenter of the first Fogfall. In the century since, Soulless and Monster incursions destroyed most cities, leaving Eridia as the largest remaining one. Smaller settlements exist, but are deeply vulnerable.

[vermilionsun]

Before I explain, there are a few issues to keep in mind:

The first Fogfall happened a century ago (“Is Eridia the last city?- The previous largest city, Lovent, was the epicenter of the first Fogfall. In the century since [...] )

We don’t know exactly the LI’s true natures or origins (yet), so monster, human, cursed, whatever their natural state is or however many beings are in one body, the oldest one has the advantage in this...well, 'age line' (?).

Kuras

In his character lore drop, “The Divine Teacher”, it is mentioned his figure has been present since “the earliest civilisations”. But if he’s a Monster, how did he escape the Shroud before the rest of the Monsters?

Vere

We know he’s had over a hundred celebrations (Birthday post ‘23) but also that the Senobium “bound a dangerous beast with a magic collar centuries ago” and the reports of the beasts’ first appearance were “ancient”—for something to be considered ancient, is must be “older than 2,000 to 5,000 years.” Make it make sense. It doesn’t, unless I’m taking the exact words too seriously. (Or he, like the MC, is cursed, and the beast inside him is seperate from Vere, like Ais and Ocudeus)

Ais

Either Ocudeus or him were alive and active before and during the first Fogfall (“As Monsters continued to abandon the Shroud” - character lore drop “Death Knell”).

I believe that this was Ocudeus, but we don’t know when it made the deal with Ais, so I’m putting both of them here.

Mhin

I want you to keep an open mind with this. If Lovent was destroyed during the first Fogfall and Mhin was there, it makes them at least a hundred years old.

Leander

He “came of age and packed his bags to chase his dreams twelve years ago”. The only straightforward thing about this man is his age.

[loventian]

Touchstarved character name meanings!

Lemme preface this by saying I’m not a name meanings expert I just love crawling through google pages and over analyzing things ALSO to make sure the results weren’t influenced by fandom everything here is from pre-2020! With that let’s get into things!

Mhin:

Mhin is a little bit tricky, as I can’t find anything for their name spelled as it is. Min, however, has several different sources and meanings.

In Chinese, Min (敏) meanings “quick, clever, sharp” Which seems rather fitting for our neighborhood soulless hunter. An alternative script for Min (民) translates to “people, citizens” which could have some interesting implications, as Mhin is implied to have strong connections to the city of Lovent.

In Burmese Min means “king, ruler” which, connected with the second Chinese translation, could perhaps be some foreshadowing? We don’t know how Mhin is connected to Lovent, but the city must have had a ruling class, perhaps Mhin held a position of power? It could also be why they survived, and which a powerful curse nonetheless

Finally, in Irish Min is said to mean “smooth, fine, small”, though I can’t find as many sources on this one. I include it because people have pointed out Mhin’s cloak pins are triquetra, which are Celtic symbols.

Kuras:

Please know I adore Kuras when I say this, but he really got the short end of the naming stick it seems. The most promising thing I can find is the usage as a Hindi surname, which doesn’t seem to have a meaning listed. If you remove the S and go with Kura, it can mean “river” in Turkish or possibly “fierceness, tiger” in Japanese.

Now here’s the silly translations! In Arabic, Kuras (كراس) seems to translate to brochure. In polish, it translates to chicken.

I truly doubt the devs thought brochure/chicken were good labels for the dear doctor, so I’m favoring the Turkish translation. Mostly because Eridia is a city divided by a river; could there be something deeper hidden in there? Maybe!

Ais:

So clearly Ais has a lot of Japanese influence, with his design being inspired by Oni, so I looked for those possible translations first. Ai (愛) translates to love in Japanese, and is typically used as a broader term to refer to emotions tied to like compassion, empathy, or platonic forms of love (as opposed to 恋/koi which refers to romantic love).

I’m gonna focus on this translation for a bit. Someone on a translation forum phrased it in a way I really love: “Ai” is something you do or give. Ais is our introduction to the Seaspring, and to groupminds in general. While the concept of a hivemind is usually used in horror as a way of taking away agency, the Seaspring is framed as a refuge for people to turn to. Could Ais’ name be an allusion to a goal he keeps hidden? Is the Seaspring a manifestation of a desire to give love despite the violent world? Or am I just reading into this too deep?

Vere:

Vere actually has a straight up name meaning! Most of the sources I found say that Vere is a French/Gaulish name meaning “Alder”, and it usually pops up in the surname “De Vere”. Alders are a kind of bitch tree, and I have no idea how that tie into Vere as a character.

But if we take “Vere” as a word rather then a name, then Latin translates it as meaning “truly, really, actually, rightly”. Vere’s introduction to us is as someone to not trust, a cunning fox waiting for the next meal, stealing our darn room key and lying about it! So I find it really interesting that his name could be a word for truth. Perhaps before his chains Vere was someone a lot more truthful ?

Leander:

Big shout out to Leander for having a plain ass easy to translate name. I’ll give you googles exact definition here: "lion of a man", from leon, "lion", and andros, "man".

That was easy, so now let’s pick it apart!

Traditionally, lions are symbols of nobility, courage, strength, and protection. Leander has a reputation for being That Guy; he’s a leader, a protector of the masses, etc etc. for all intents and purposes, Leander really is a lion of a man!

…On the surface at least. Because under all the symbolism, lions are still predators, no matter how noble.

[bakahimesama]

So everytime Redspring posts something new, I go back through all the information they've posted previously to see if I spot anything I didn't notice before. I got to the flower section and-

Sounds like there's a lot of dogwood in the ruins of Lovent. Okay, alright, cool, so the flowers are hinting at story beats, awesome. What do the others have to say?

This one's obvious, Kuras has ties to the Senobium.

I can't really find anything specific in this one, other than Ocudeus is shady. Maybe everytime something drinks from the Seaspring, a new flower blooms? Idk

Vere and Kuras are not escaping the divorce allegations with this one.

And Leander is not escaping the undead allegations.

[karokawwo]

ermmm new age hcs after shocking revelation:

leander: canonically the youngest of the cast apparently??? in his early thirties

mhin: ok. i am now forced to entertain the idea that mhin is a hag. it depends on how long ago the disappearance of lovent happened but i think it was a few.... 100-200??? somewhere there

ais: i think ais is arroundd 200-300 years or so. he's old but i dont think he's THAT old

vere: he was discovered by the senobium 500 years ago so i'll sayyyy 700?

kuras: the beginning and the end

[toeridiaorbust]

Devs, You're Hilarious For This

I looked up what Lovent could possibly mean, and Wikitionary came through for me:

[Image ID: A screenshot from Wikitionary, featuring the word 'lovent'. It's a French word, that's a "third-person plural present/indicative/subjunctive of 'lover'.

Below that is a subtitle called Anagrams: which has the word 'volent' underneath. End Image ID].

[More under the cut!]

I followed the link from there and the next page gave me this:

[Image ID: A screenshot from Wikitionary, featuring the word 'volent'. It's an English word, meaning 'that exercises will or free choice.' End Image ID].

Okay, that makes some kind of sense? Choices do matter in a VN like this.

I scroll down a little more, and I get thrown off by seeing the definition from Latin —

[Image ID: A screenshot from Wikitionary, featuring the word 'volō', defined as ('I fly') under Etymology 1.

Under subtitle Etymology 2, it's "From volō (“I wish”)". End Image ID].

Put it altogether, and what do you get?

Mhin's portion from the visualizer of Touchstarved's cover, Everytime We Touch:

Your arms are my castle Your heart is my sky They wipe away tears that I cry The good and the bad times We've been through them all You make me rise when I fall 'Cause every time we touch I get this feeling And every time we kiss I swear I can fly Can't you feel my heart beat fast I want this to last Need you by my side

I have to say, very very clever, devs. My hat's off to you!

[If you made it this far, thank you so much for reading. I've seen all the reblogs, likes, and new followers from my last theory post. I appreciate every single one of you 💜].

[nitrowyverine]

Finally played the TOUCHSTARVED Demo! Still thinking about it over a week later.

(Above: Steam banner image for TOUCHSTARVED from Red Spring Studios)

I love it SO MUCH. and i have QUESTIONS. my extended thoughts below the cut [Demo spoilers included]

General thoughts:

this game is SO up my alley that it's insane. local goth gaming nerd is kicking their feet and giggling

the music? and sound design? It's honestly incredible, even beyond the infamous Every Time We Touch cover (Which is how I found this game). We all have to be giving more props to the music/sound work, it absolutely punches the experience up so many notches. When a soundtrack is released I'm immediately keeping it on hand for all my tabletop needs

absolutely enamored with the backstory mechanic. It adds so much individual depth to the character. you can feel attached to your MC without them being a complete blank slate. I absolutely love that different MC backstories have you pick up different details about the characters. (My favorite is The Hound immediately picking out who the leaders are amongst the group, in contrast to the other MC backgrounds)

I wanna eat the backgrounds. I wanna eat them whole. They're so detailed and colorful and have a great sense of depth. 100000/10

Specific character thoughts/theories:

(Images courtesy of the Touchstarved character Lore posts from the Red Spring Studio socials. I'll be linking them in each of the character's names)

Ais:

Thank you, Red Spring studios, for blessing the players with the ability to bite him if you're an ass to him the entire demo. You truly know what we want

Lore seems to indicate that Ais came over from the demon realm for some unknown reason, and was possibly some kind of demon king or leader? Fascinated to learn what happens there

Ngl the Seaspring looks like it would taste good. My favorite raspberry/rhubarb tea looks just like the Seaspring water. Gimme the group juice.

Question: If Ais gets infected with MC's madness....does that mean. the WHOLE groupmind gets infected? Humans and soulless alike? That's a city-destroying disaster waiting to happen

CONCLUSION: Most likely to adopt 6 dogs instead of picking up the groceries. Least likely to let you have the car aux cable.

Kuras:

I do believe Kuras is the actual best shot at a cure/treatment of all candidates. Assuming the curse is some level of demonic, an angel's touch is probably the best bet.

Let me be clear here though, I do think he might just go "Well you can just like. not have arms" and take them. That is a possibility

Most of the other characters I can get a rough idea of what they want and why. Kuras? I have NO idea what his goal is, which is very frightening.

Twitter bio image does say "Repentant Angel", and that his fatal flaw is "his sins can only be repaid through suffering". Possible linkage to Lovent's fall? Or another major disaster?

its okay sweaty we all get The Guilt (tm)

If Kuras somehow gets MC's maddness (I have a feeling it may not effect him? but if it did) that would just. end the world right there.

CONCLUSION: Most likely to be the one guy you might be able to bring home to your parents. Least likely to put on oven mitts to take a frozen pizza out of the oven.

Vere:

I love Vere for being the character I thought I could trust the least, turning into a character I actually trust allot. I trust him to be extremely dangerous. He probably wasn't lying when he said his heart is on his sleeve.

Also, big props for having him just kill you in one of the demo endings. What a guy, I love him, no notes

Wait what he's over 100 according to his birthday post. thats, allot? older? than I thought?. okay yeah the lore posts mention he's a possible deity figure. not comforting

Vere is very fae-logic coded. Like, the words he says can be true and false at the same time. Don't tell him your name, he will cannibalize you for fun, etc etc ya know fae stuff.

i will protect him always

CONCLUSION: Most likely to fuck your dad. Least likely to be your new stepdad.

Mihn:

Mihn is much dodgier than the rest, but I think that makes them more trustworthy. They're not as interested as playing games.

I nominate Mihn as a secondary protagonist, since Leander, Ais, and Kuras seem to be interested in them quite a bit. Even Vere has a rivalmance kinda thing going for Mihn. If MC didn't show up, that would be the dating sim right there

I'm excited by the lore post and the implications that Mihn is from Lovent (or has traveled there? and survived?) and potentially getting greater lore expansion about the world surrounding Eridia

I think it's interesting that their strength stat is relatively low compared to the others, yet they're one of the characters that actually uses their strength in the demo.

Also, I think we see the least of their "monstrous form" of everyone in the demo (minus their ability to dodge in and out of shadows). I'm thrilled to see what their monstrous form actually entails.

Mihn would survive bloodborne. That's it thats the entire thought

CONCLUSION: Most likely to do all the work in a group project. Least likely to be chill during Mario Party.

Leander:

OKAY ALL OF MY QUESTIONS ARE HERE. I AM DEEPLY AFRAID. Something is absolutely wrong but we have no current ability to pinpoint what it is.

I've seen theories Leander is dead. However, in Vere's route, he mentions that Leander smells like aftershave. While this could be part of an extra-elaborate ruse, hair doesn't grow after death (Minus the appearance of it happening due to natural decay processes) so he wouldn't need to shave. However, I am betting on him being involved in some sort of un-death cycle.

actually I can guarantee his story is all about cycles. Has anyone else mentioned how his belt is the triple goddess symbol.

you know. the symbol of maiden/mother/crone. birth/life/death. beginning/middle/end. like

Moving on, the vast majority of his smiles are forced (Mouth is smiling, but there's no eye movement/crinkle that would indicate it's genuine). That is enough of a red flag but honey I am so much more worried about my next point:

WHERE DOES HE GET HIS MONEY. He's constantly buying rounds of drinks for a packed bar. It's briefly mentioned his clothes are nice. He pays for anything MC needs. However, says Bloodhound rates are "Free". Where does he GET HIS MONEY for all of this. Twitter posts from Red Spring point out he doesn't accept bribes (at least overtly).

WAIT I'M REREADING THIS POST WHAT THE FUCK ARE THE SILENT CRYPTS.

Looking again at Leander's stat post. The Ouroboros in the background is. Not comforting. Also, "Forbidden Magic"? yeah I have a feeling we know why he's not in the Senobium

Theory, potentially Leander is currently being paid by the Senobium to maintain lowtown/Silent Crypts order? I think there's still a connection between them. Like the Senobuim can remain detached while having ties to whatever horrible things Leander is doing.

Okay, in the twitter relationship charts it says that Kuras has looked out for Leander "Since he was young". Kuras probably knows. SO much we don't.

When Mihn scolds Leander for not telling MC to be off the streets past dark. I think Leander intentionally "Forgot" to mention that. I think he wanted the MC to see how dangerous Eridia was so MC would stay closer to Leander for safety. I think it was a very intentional manipulation tactic.

(Furthermore, did he actually cast a spell of luck on MC when he gave them the lilies from his introduction magic trick? Then bet on the MC living through the day?)

I do think Leander's surprise at MC going out to the Seaspring was genuine, since his spit-take clashes so starkly with his cool-guy demeanor.

I also have a feeling that Leander has been past the veil/shroud. he's doing something fucky and the veil is prime fuckery territory.

(Are we...going to get a timeloop story????)

CONCLUSION: Most likely to dramatically use himself as a human bridge over a small puddle (as an excuse to get walked on). Least likely to remember to go to bed after playing Stardew Valley for 13 hours straight.

Touchstarved game things I'm concerned about:

(I feel like I wouldn't be doing my game designer duties if I didn't point out my concerns as well. To be fair, there aren't many.)

I hope the bad endings get fucked up, story-wise. Since it's a horror game, I know it might turn some people off to have things go super wrong, but I really hope they do. I want to see some endless pain vortexes, some real Juniji Ito-style suffering. But I would also understand if the devs want to softball some of the worst outcomes for the sake of widespread appeal.

We all have countless examples of kickstarter games looking strong out the gate, but then falling flat upon release. While I have high hopes for Touchstarved, I do know the reality and intense difficulty of kickstarter games. I'm really hoping the demo isn't the best the studio will have to offer.

OVERALL: I am rooting for the Touchstarved team/Red Spring Studio all the way! I'm thrilled to see where this game goes. I am poised on this purchase button and ready to buy when it releases.

[someiicecube]

Anyway, my funniest headcanon has got to be: Mhin is older than Leander.

A hc made even funnier by the fact they're a healer-slash-doctor of sorts (used to be, at least; idk if medical school let them keep their license after doing freelance Soulless hunting).

And no, this isn't feeding into the "Mhin was there in Lovent a century ago" theory either. I just think they're old :3

[wtfuglydemon]

people love telling mentally ill people to "get help" but no one wants to actually help, youre just being thrown at people until they realize youre a lost case and the cycle repeats.

[certainstarfishsandwich]

The only 2 theories I got on Mhin now is that Kuras big fat ass crash landed on Lovent and left a big crater, Mhin was an aspiring scholar at Senobium and went on an expedition and came out fucked beyond repair because it's basically Chernobyl on steroids and now Mhin's returned mad as hell that the people that were supposed to help them have closed their gates.

ORRR, the other theory being that Mhin is of Lovent descent and the few survivors left with lasting Curses.

[toxintouch]

Lovent Theories off the top of my head...

⟡ Mhin is not from Lovent, but they DID contract their curse there. "Anything for the pursuit of knowledge..." Perhaps Mhin had only intended to go there for study and they unwittingly brought Something Else back...

Title tag is #lost expeditions... Mhin went to Lovent with loved ones and is the lone survivor of the expedition?? No one has ever made it back except for Mhin?

⟡ Mhin is from Lovent but...

"In a bygone era,"

Is Mhin just...very old? An extended lifespan due to their curse?

Or maybe the whole city got swallowed up the the Shroud and there were some dimension time shenanigans...? The city ended up in a halfway point? And the city is actually still inhabited, but has been in a perpetual state of Zombie Appocalypse Fogfall. Silent Hill...?? am I describing Silent Hill? Mhin fought to escape and that is when Kuras finds and help them?

⟡ Did they learn something about the Senobium while in Lovent? Is that why they are so determined, so sure that what they need is inside?

[adastra121]

Working theories for Lovent:

It is the site of the Shroud, where the human world and the monster world meet and that’s why it’s in ruins and covered in fog, also why scholars who went there disappeared, they got transported to the monster world.

Kuras fell on it.

[vermilionsun]

Raaahhh, I LOVE your writing for Touchstarved!! May I request headcanons of Mhin being in love with MC? 👉 👈

Keep up the amazing work!! 🫶

YAAAAAA Thank you smmmm <33

Disclaimer! They/Them for MC because we love inclusivity!

🕊 “...oh no.”

🕊 The realisation hit them so hard. They were in love. So completely undeniably in love that it took their breath away, with no way to deny it.

🕊 Mhin facepalmed. “Why them?!”

🕊 Their thoughts began to spiral. They were acutely familiar with the consequences of falling for someone; the overwhelming emotions, the vulnerability, the risk of losing themselves...

🕊 Yet every time they spoke or smiled or brushed past them, Mhin’s heart leaped, despite their efforts to remain indifferent.

🕊 (Yes, they’re pathetic, and yes, they know that already; don’t remind them..)

🕊 Conflict brewed within Mhin. They wanted to keep their distance, to protect themselves and the MC from the looming threat within them. But at the same time, they couldn't help but crave more moments together, more chances to bask in their light, hear that laugh that made their heart race, feel the cotton bandages against their skin…

🕊 Mhin tried to rationalise their feelings, convincing themselves that it was just a passing attraction.

🕊 But against their better judgement, Mhin found themselves drawn to the MC, like a moth to a flame, and they silently chastised themselves for their growing affection.

🕊 It's foolish for one to fall for another when they themselves are a ticking time bomb. It's like standing too close to a flame when you're covered in gasoline—sooner or later, something is going to ignite. It's only a matter of time before the truth comes out and the consequences of their past actions catch up to them. The risk of getting burned is high, and the fallout from their actions could be downright catastrophic.

🕊 Unpleasant memories resurfaced, tugging at the edges of their consciousness. Mhin tried to push them aside, but the memories refused to be ignored. The weight of their guilt and shame pressed heavily on their shoulders as scenes from Lovent flickered through their mind like an old, worn-out film reel—moments of the pain they had caused w̶h̶i̶c̶h̶ w̶a̶s̶ o̶u̶t̶ o̶f̶ t̶h̶e̶i̶r̶ c̶o̶n̶t̶r̶o̶l̶.

🕊 It all came crashing back in a relentless wave of emotions, and Mhin clutched their head as if trying to keep their thoughts from spilling over.

🕊 But now, with the MC, a flicker of hope flared within them. The idea that maybe, just maybe, this time could be different. That maybe they could find someone who could love them despite their monstrous flaw.

🕊 How could they have let themselves fall so deeply?