News
February 20, 10
I looked at GubiD's tactical battle system, and it's seeming better than the ZTBS I was using before, so I'm going to transfer over to that one. I put the long story in a spoiler, and made a short version for people who don't want to read a novel. I'm also considering switching the Breeze template with something more realistic, like the Paradigm, Half-Kaiser, or maybe even *gasp* the RTP. How in the world am I supposed to make a Breeze character play a violin without it looking weird? Also, I'm changing the title again, so until I get a better graphic, I'm sticking some GIMP filtered text up.
January 15, 10
I touched up the story and killed off the queen, not much. I also decided to include the 2-D characters instead of generic ones, although the enemies will probably be generic. Sorry, RadethDart, and whoever else voted for the first option. Stefan's picture is now up, and I've moved Conall's profile down next to the scheming wizard.
December 21, 09
I've added Conall's picture, a new logo, and a section on the unnamed evil wizard, and am still debating the Alice/Stella thing. I'm being more partial to Stella now because of the new game in concept development with a character named Alice, but I realised that Stella is the name of a kidnapped girl in a book I read! I'm sticking with Alice.
December 12, 09
I'm adding a news section! I'm also (somewhat) recruiting team members, if anyone is interested in doing facesets. It'll be like Golden Sun, but more cartoon-like. That's about it for recruitment. I also added another character, Stefan. I've also considered changing Alice's name to Stella, so object now if you want to.
Introduction
So, this is a game that I started working on a little while ago for my little sister to play, but it started to grow beyond a kids' game in the plot. I decided to come here for criticism and to probably release it. Don't worry; it's not that childish. I'm making this rather simple because I want to actually complete this without years of work.
Story
This story begins with the peaceful kingdom of Sidus, ruled by a noble king and queen. One day, a magician came to the king and said he could bring the dead back to life and grant immortality. Skeptical, the king asked that he show him his powers. The spell failed miserably and killed half of the royal fields, the primary source of food for the nation. The magician was put in prison, and his family had to come along too, to prevent them from plotting revenge. Soon after his family's execution, his cell was found empty except for a letter that said he vowed to get his revenge. In the years following, the queen bore two daughters, the food sources were diversified, and the magician was never seen again. His relatives were promptly forgotten about, and became permanent residents of the prison.
15 years later
Edgar Aldridge, the head of the Sidus Royal Guard, sits at an oak table within the dark library. The candles illuminate the creases that line his face, and the streaks of grey that decorate his short hair. He is alone, making the only audible sound, the scratching of a pen against paper. A raven caws outside, breaking the quiet that had filled the room. Edgar looks up, disturbed from his letter, and gasps as the dark bird flies in through the open window. It lands on the desk and turns its head at him, almost in mockery as the black, beady eyes burrow into his soul, looking for something, petrifying the general. Satisfied, it flutters over next to the candle, whose open flame dances to inaudible music, swayed by an invisible force. The raven's claw tips the candlestick over.
One year later
The weather was perfect; a cool breeze rustled the trees, the birds were chirping, and the lake in front of Sidus castle reflected the clear, cloudless azure that lay above. It was a perfect day for a nice, late afternoon walk. So, Alice and Celeste, the two teenage princesses, were strolling along the lakeside, when suddenly, a dark form snatched Alice from the well-trodden path. Celeste was too stunned to even scream. She watched in horror as the kidnapper flew away with Alice in the grip of its sharp, long talons. The leathery wings, dark scales and glinting, crimson eyes were unmistakable. A dragon had just taken her beloved sister.
Celeste ran to her father, fearing for her own life. The dragon could have brought company. She tore along the pathway, ignoring the guards’ inquiries about Alice, and nearly broke down the strong, wooden doors that led to the throne room. They opened to a discussion between her father and what was left of his closest advisors. A royal scholar by the name of Nodus stopped speaking to look up at the frightened princess. The only sound left was Celeste's haggard breathing. Her father immediately rushed from his seat beside an empty throne and to her side, prodding her for the reason for her troubled state.
After much discussion, the king told her that there was no record of such a dragon in the libraries and historical records, but they were very sure that Alice was missing. After days of searching, the king concluded that there was only one place that Alice could be: the Shadow Marsh.
The king sent half of his army there to search for his daughter. They found a small stone building, the only one in the region. However, the structure didn’t yield to any of the weapons, so the soldiers reported back to the king, who had received a letter from the long-gone magician. The letter said that he sent his dragon to kidnap Alice, and she was never going to see the light of day ever again. He said there was no hope in saving her, and that the king will lose everyone that he holds close to his heart. Recent mysterious deaths of important people were also blamed on him, although he didn't say it directly. The king was heartbroken. Nodus, a royal scholar specializing in history, suggested that maybe the eight legendary relics could be powerful enough to destroy the walls of Alice’s prison. They were strewn all over the continent, and only members of the royal family could enter the temples that they were in. The king and queen had grown old; they weren’t fit for a journey across the kingdom. Alice would have been the best candidate, with her magic and archery, but she was gone. The other countries' royalty wasn't trained to fight, in contrast to Sidus' tradition. The only one left, by process of elimination, was Celeste, the sub-par, second place princess whose only special skills were being able to comb her hair, brush her teeth, and paint her nails at the same time. Her journey would have to begin with a lot of training. She set out with a few guards, and was joined by her friend, Liam, but she knew that none of them would be able to go inside the temple with her.
15 years later
Edgar Aldridge, the head of the Sidus Royal Guard, sits at an oak table within the dark library. The candles illuminate the creases that line his face, and the streaks of grey that decorate his short hair. He is alone, making the only audible sound, the scratching of a pen against paper. A raven caws outside, breaking the quiet that had filled the room. Edgar looks up, disturbed from his letter, and gasps as the dark bird flies in through the open window. It lands on the desk and turns its head at him, almost in mockery as the black, beady eyes burrow into his soul, looking for something, petrifying the general. Satisfied, it flutters over next to the candle, whose open flame dances to inaudible music, swayed by an invisible force. The raven's claw tips the candlestick over.
One year later
The weather was perfect; a cool breeze rustled the trees, the birds were chirping, and the lake in front of Sidus castle reflected the clear, cloudless azure that lay above. It was a perfect day for a nice, late afternoon walk. So, Alice and Celeste, the two teenage princesses, were strolling along the lakeside, when suddenly, a dark form snatched Alice from the well-trodden path. Celeste was too stunned to even scream. She watched in horror as the kidnapper flew away with Alice in the grip of its sharp, long talons. The leathery wings, dark scales and glinting, crimson eyes were unmistakable. A dragon had just taken her beloved sister.
Celeste ran to her father, fearing for her own life. The dragon could have brought company. She tore along the pathway, ignoring the guards’ inquiries about Alice, and nearly broke down the strong, wooden doors that led to the throne room. They opened to a discussion between her father and what was left of his closest advisors. A royal scholar by the name of Nodus stopped speaking to look up at the frightened princess. The only sound left was Celeste's haggard breathing. Her father immediately rushed from his seat beside an empty throne and to her side, prodding her for the reason for her troubled state.
After much discussion, the king told her that there was no record of such a dragon in the libraries and historical records, but they were very sure that Alice was missing. After days of searching, the king concluded that there was only one place that Alice could be: the Shadow Marsh.
The king sent half of his army there to search for his daughter. They found a small stone building, the only one in the region. However, the structure didn’t yield to any of the weapons, so the soldiers reported back to the king, who had received a letter from the long-gone magician. The letter said that he sent his dragon to kidnap Alice, and she was never going to see the light of day ever again. He said there was no hope in saving her, and that the king will lose everyone that he holds close to his heart. Recent mysterious deaths of important people were also blamed on him, although he didn't say it directly. The king was heartbroken. Nodus, a royal scholar specializing in history, suggested that maybe the eight legendary relics could be powerful enough to destroy the walls of Alice’s prison. They were strewn all over the continent, and only members of the royal family could enter the temples that they were in. The king and queen had grown old; they weren’t fit for a journey across the kingdom. Alice would have been the best candidate, with her magic and archery, but she was gone. The other countries' royalty wasn't trained to fight, in contrast to Sidus' tradition. The only one left, by process of elimination, was Celeste, the sub-par, second place princess whose only special skills were being able to comb her hair, brush her teeth, and paint her nails at the same time. Her journey would have to begin with a lot of training. She set out with a few guards, and was joined by her friend, Liam, but she knew that none of them would be able to go inside the temple with her.
When her overachiever sister, Alice, is kidnapped, Celeste needs to train to be a knight and obtain the eight sacred relics scattered throughout the continent in order to break the spell around her sister's prison. Another magic spell prohibits anyone not of noble blood from entering their protective areas. The evil wizard who holds Alice captive is also accused of imprisoning several other important people, including the head of the military, Commander Aldridge, and Celeste's long-gone older brother, Clark. She also has the help of her best friend (also son of the kidnapped commander), the elite of the palace's army, and many others she meets along the way.
The Legend of Celestion
There is a legend that was passed down through the generations, and it is hard to tell which parts are true and which parts aren’t. Nonetheless, many children throughout Sidus enjoy it as a bedtime story. The legend begins with an evil spirit named Matar who possessed the young hero, Atlas, who had just finished ending a great war. Matar pretended to be Atlas, but his wife, Pleione, sensed a change in him. Matar made mirrors illegal after the people of Sidus decided that he would be their new ruler, because his reflection would show his true, dark form. One day, Pleione was on a moonlit walk with Matar, and she saw his reflection in the lake they were adjacent to, but she said nothing about it to him. She gathered a small group of seven elite warriors that would believe her story, and then used Celestion, the fabled sword of light (Isn’t it so easy to steal from the temple of light when you work there?) to push Matar out of Atlas’s body. Then, she and the other seven warriors used the eight relics, Celestion being one of them, to seal Matar away in the lake. The relics were taken to safe places, and a spell was put on them so that only the royal family could enter their havens.
Main Characters
"I'll never survive in the wilderness!"
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Elemental Alignment: Light
Class: Fighter (Sword)
Celeste is the main protagonist, but is far from being a knight in shining armour. She has never touched a sword in her life, isn’t active in politics, and isn’t studious like her sister. She never imagined that she would be the one saving her sister since it had always been the other way around. Luckily, she isn't alone in her endeavour to save Alice. Her mother died when she was 12, but she has somehow managed to cope.
"Wait a minute, Celeste is the one saving me? I'm doomed."
Age: 19
Gender: Female
Elemental Alignment: Dark
Class: Princess (Bow and Arrow/Staffs)
Although a red-eyed, evil dragon kidnaps her, she is certainly not a damsel in distress. She has been active in politics for quite a while because she knew that she would be the one to take the throne when her parents were gone. She also studies black magic and somehow fits archery into her schedule, which is packed enough without having to constantly keep Celeste out of trouble. Although she acts annoyed with Celeste very often, she still likes having her around.
"I took an oath to protect you, Celeste, and I'm not breaking that oath."
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Elemental Alignment: Wind
Class: Lancer
He is Celeste’s personal bodyguard (the only one that lets himself be seen), but only because his father was the commander of the Sidus Royal Guard. He was very sad after the library caught on fire, with his father in it. His body wasn't even found. Becoming her protector when he turned fifteen didn’t really change much, since the two were nearly inseparable anyways. He is somewhat of a coward, and while his personality doesn’t exactly fit the heroic knight stereotype, he can prove useful in a bad situation and is loyal to a fault. Keep in mind, he is more loyal to Celeste as a friend than the king and the country itself, so he snuck out of the palace, against his mother's (and the king's) wishes to join Celeste and accompany her to the temples.
"So, am I hired or not?"
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Elemental Alignment: ?
Class: Swordmaster
Stefan is a warrior from a famous band of fighters and is hired by Celeste for a decent sum of money. Mysteriously vanishing every now and then, he gives Celeste too many reasons for suspicion. Although Celeste hasn't seen him fight yet, he already proves his worth as a tactician.
"You have no idea what I'm capable of."
Age: 12
Gender: Male
Elemental Alignment: Lightning
Class: Thief
Conall is somewhat of a mystery to Celeste. They caught him stealing from Aeria's temple and, although he says he's innocent, attempt to take him to the police. He breaks free from them and escapes with the travelling circus that Celeste just had to see on the way to the nearest town, taking some of her stuff with him. He wears a grey, hooded cape to cover his tell-tale shock of indigo hair. To Celeste, he's just a runaway child who thinks he's better than everyone else.
Unnamed Magician(Sorry, no picture yet)
Age: ??? (Very old)
Gender: Male
Elemental Alignment: Darkness
Preferred Weapon: Other people, living or dead (or undead)
This magician doesn't have a name yet, but he's been blamed for the mysterious disappearances of the king's closest circle of friends. He sent a letter admitting that he kidnapped Alice. His family was imprisoned for his mistake to ensure no one would seek revenge, and the king was more partial to it to lessen the number of mouths to feed in the famine. They were eventually forgotten about, until the magician vanished, then reappeared many years later.
Map of the Continent
Sidus, the kingdom of the stars, earned its name due to the wonderfully clear skies, which contribute to a great view of the night sky.
The Shadow Marsh is mostly uninhabited by humans, and has a population of about one (two after Alice is kidnapped).
Incendis is a volcanic island not far from the shore of the continent. Few people live there, so the royal family rules over only a few people.
Algoria (not to be confused with Algeria) is a snowy country that makes a profit of its large coal and oil reserves.
Aeria is a mountainous country that contains many species of birds in its forests. It is home to a traditional temple that is very old, but vanished from sight years before Celeste was born.
Silis is a country with large deposits of valuable jewels and metals. It also contains a large forest.
Levitus is a stormy, poverty-stricken nation that few people dare to venture to. The crime rate is high, and the members of its royal family are frequently assassinated, much to the detriment of the schoolchildren who have to remember all of the deaths for their history classes.
Vicus is a coastal country that gets many elderly immigrants to retirement homes due to its tropical climate and large coastal areas. The south-western area contains a tropical rainforest.
Relics
- Light-Celestion (sword)
Dark-Chaos Orb
Wind-Winged Boots
Earth-Jade Shield
Water-Tide Pendant
Fire-Magma Spear
Ice-Icicle Axe
Lightning-Thunder Gloves
Features (as of now):
- -GTBS tactical battle system
-Multiple endings
-Crafting system
-"Tales of" menu screen (the only one I could find that would be able to support lots of characters)
Credits for the tilesets and sprite templates (as well as the parts I used for Liam’s frankensprite) go to green raven.
