Development Sneak Peak: CH12, Part 2

Part 1

Omg it's been forever since I had anything of note to post about CH12 so I'm very happy about being able to make this post!! Since it's been so long, I've decided to unlock this post for tier 1 as well 💖

In part of what's taking me so long is that a lot of different plot threads continue to converge in this chapter and the chapters following it, so I've been agonizing a lot over different variations and what purpose they will serve in the story at large. I've written up SO many plans regarding the structure of this chapter and ended up constantly scrapping and tweaking most of them.

It wasn't until one of my friends gave me a (proverbial) slap upside the head and reminded me the game is a work in progress and I can always go back to edit things after publishing it that some of that anxiety went away. I'm still fighting myself about it in my head because of my incurable perfectionism, but I've decided, Fuck It let's just get something written down and edit it later if necessary.

CH 12 Edits

So, anyways! You may remember I mentioned in the previous dev sneak peak: "Those who chose to approach the peri trader directly should know that they will not be able to gain an alliance with Kham for the rest of the game." This is no longer the case!

It's the first major change I've made from my initial idea. If you choose the peri trader, you will still be able to approach Kham for an alliance later on. The nature of the alliance will just be different, since you did go behind her back to deal with the peri trader directly, so that's something she will be aware of and a consideration you will also have to keep in mind when dealing with her going forward.

Another potential edit I'm toying with is Bazo, the guy from Şevan who didn't show up for your Crown's coronation and only just arrives in CH12. He's a very relevant character for Future Happenings, but for the time being, his arrival is a bit of foreshadowing with what your Crown will have to deal with regarding Şevan. At first, his scene was going to be quite extensive with some more lore regarding the province, but now I'm thinking- Şevan isn't going to be relevant for the next several chapters, it seems unnecessary to lore dump about it now.

So, as a mercy to myself, I might end up limiting his scene, especially as the Crown has more pressing matters to tend to in their immediate environment. Not to mention their planned expedition to the mountains. Sorry Bazo!

One change I have added to the chapter, however, is some background regarding your Crown that will continue their personal character arc, especially in relation to their unresolved grief. The expedition to the mountains involves traveling across Rojan, after all, and while the Crown was on the run for much of their life, they did have a hometown they were born in and grew up in until the age of 8.

So, CH12 is reminding the Crown of that, and if they're going to be traveling anyway, then what's a little detour to go on a personal quest? Who knows, their parents might have even left some clues in their old house...

As you can soe, lots of cutting things up and adding things while working on this chapter lol.

Preview

Aside from chapter and story-wide considerations, I've been writing some of the variations in different branches, and people who chose the peri trader will get to make a decision that further influences their branch. Depending on what they choose, they might end up seeing a little bit of fighting happen 👀

Mind that there's some blocked out text here to prevent spoilers, and the Twine coding for the love interests.

Eye-holes form along every side of ████’s head, keeping watch of the guards surrounding [them] from each direction simultaneously. Were you not trying to arrest [them], you would be impressed at the versatility of the peri form.

“Your left!” $xname calls out, and $dname reacts with perfect timing to dodge a large root that unearths to try and pierce through $dname’s legs.

$dname clutches their mace and smashes it into the root, its wood snapping under the force and the sharpened tip of it breaking off entirely. Meanwhile, $xname evades and dances around the attacking roots without even looking, seeming to know where they will be in advance.

It takes very little effort for $xname to close the distance to ████’s main body, a smirk curving $xtheir lips as the muscles of $xtheir arms tense, and $xthey swings $xtheir sword. Its curved blade cuts through the air in the arc of a crescent, with a heat so intense that it distorts the air around it, slicing across ████’s chest like a knife through butter.

████, unable to defend [themselves] with [their] attention focused on commanding [their] roots, has no choice but to endure the hit. ████ lets out a scream of frustration as [they] retracts an arm to try and deal with $xname, wooden hand sharpening like the tip of a spear to lash out.

$xname sidesteps the attack even before ████ is halfway through the motion, as if $xthey knew exactly what [they] intended to do. Immediately after, $xname counters with another singing slash of $xtheir blade that cuts ████’s weaponized arm nearly clean off. “You are very easy to read.”

I'm currently writing out different variations for how the Crown deals with this as well: you'll get the option to choose between using magic or using your chosen weapon, so that's a bit of fun for flavor!

Players who didn't choose the peri trader option and instead went to Kham don't have to worry about missing out: the expedition to the mountains will over more action oriented scenes like this with your Crown as well. Instead, your route with Kham will get a very tense conversation that is essentially a battle in words: Peak Courtly Intrigue, to put it shortly. Hopefully I'll have some previews to show you of that next month 🙏🏼

Thank you as always for your patience and support!!