anathemafiction

Alpha Build

Hello!

Here's almost the entirety of Chapter Two — at the very end of the chapter, you'll see some choices that you won't be able to click even if you have the right items, and that's intentional!

I want to tweak that part a little bit before releasing it since I wasn't completely satisfied with how it turned out. So, expect an update with those scenes soon!!

But the rest is ready for you to play 😄. Chapter One is fully edited and shiny but, as always, a remind...

Finished coding Chapter Two!

It is done...

Excluding command lines (or code, if you will), the chapter stands at 60,609 words. The chapter itself isn't very complicated, but it touches on numerous points and references to Book One, which means that, while the word count is smaller than other chapters, the code necessary for it is a giant of its own.

A very tall, extremely well-armored tita...

Sneak Peek

After two hours of headaches and going back and forth between the variables in Book One and the sequel, I finished Lance's code for his Relationship texts! I also finished his whole section in the Summary, so you'll be able to personalize your relationship with our mysterious bard at the beginning of Book Two!!! 🥳

Of course, as the game progresses, these texts will change. 🤭

For th...

Progress Report

I'm back!!!!

And I've been coding the whole afternoon. I can't quite explain why, but putting all those labels and gotos and stats percentages changes has been oddly... therapeutic. 😊 I've also realized I forgot to write a small set of reactions from Lance and Mist based on whether or not you have the balm on your face. So, I'll need to add in that little interaction.

Other than that, the coding has been going smoothly! I love watching the file grow and grow, and update both th...

But that's life

Hello! I just wanted to give a little update, so I hope you can lend me your ear for just a moment. 

I'm on vacation, and it has been going lovely (although it's so hot during the day 😭🔥). However, it's not been without a few hiccups. My poor tiny laptop, with which I've written the entirety of Book One, has finally (and heartbreakingly) given its last breath. I can barely get it to start, and after that, it does little else. 

I'm going to have to buy a new pc (w...

Eye of the Beholder

From what you know and experienced so far, who is your favorite Romance Option?

I know that only Hadrian and Alessa have developed romances in the first book, so this poll is extremely unfair to all the other characters but I'd love to see how you guys stand now and then compare the numbers to when I'm further ahead in the Alpha (and, eventually, the entire Book Two).

I already did this poll on Tumblr - you can vote 2023-08-04 18:25:12 +0000 UTC View Post

Progress Report

I apologize!

I didn't realize I forgot to write a progress report last Friday. It completely flew over my head (╥_╥). I was so deep into coding that when I stopped, I didn't have the energy to type anything, not even, so it seems, a small note reminding me to write it on Saturday.

But I realized my mistake now, so allow me to rectify it: Last week, I finished the deep edit of chapter one!!!! It has around 4k fewer words, and, in my humble opinion, it flows bet...

Antagonistic or... slightly charged?

You can have this convo in Chapter One if you're neither friends with Alessa nor are in a relationship with her. As I went over it during my deep edit of the chapter, I... liked it a lot 😄. Not necessarily how it's written, but more the playful rivalry that I keep seeing between Alessa and Romanus, even when you're technically not on good terms.

I was of the mind that Hadrian and Alessa's r...

One for the Road — Part Two

He's hanging onto the water-worn railing as the massive bulk of his ship oscillates beneath his feet.

The ocean is furious, and it has no problem letting the world know. Waves as high as mountains crash like boulders against the hull and roll from under trying its mightiest to sink them to its depths. The ocean is more than enraged: it is hungry.

"Watch out!" The Pirate King shouts as another hit makes the ship sway sideways. The floor tilts as the starboard side ...

A Thank You

Starting in September, I'll cut down hours from my day job and invest them all into The Rose. I'll have a full free day on Monday and half a day on Thursday, and I'll be able to do it because of all of you.

When I started this Patreon, I didn't imagine I'd have even half of the support you've shown me. This has honestly been an incredibly humbling experience, and it's so hard to put into words how thankful I am. I'm so, so grateful to all of you — writing this game has change...

Lingering Glance

Mist holds your collective gaze. "May the road rise up to meet you, mercenaries."

"And the wind be always at your back," Hadrian says, lowering his head in goodbye.

Alessa leaps to her feet. "We shall be in touch."

*choice

*1) You go to rise but suddenly stop. You have an ancient gauntlet in your satchel, and who better to trade it to than Mist? "Actually," you say. "We have one last thing to discuss."

2) You get up. "May the sun shine warm on your face,...

Progress Report

It's Friday!

This week, I finished reviewing all of my tester's emails! They caught a bunch of typos (some of them are so incredibly oblivious, I'm ashamed they slipped through the cracks in the first place), but they also provided me with great feedback regarding the story and my execution as a whole. It's always nice to read someone is enjoying the game 😊. I'm very aware both my testers and you guys are but a small pool (and a bit biased 😋), but it makes me feel a little bit mor...

Spicy Q&A — Part Two (Mature)

• Lance trying to sing or play his lyre without fumbling while Romanus teases him.

The melody drifting through the air is... interrupted.

You feel a smile tug at your lips but keep it down as you lock eyes with your bard. The grey in his is but a thin line, swallowed by the deep dark of his pupils. His blue hair falls down his forehead, and his hands clutch his lyre as if it's the only thing keeping him alive. "Keep going," you encourage with a sweet voice, res...

No-context Vote

Pick the one you like the best!

Progress Report

Hello, hello!

We find each other again somewhere along the neverending path. This week I've been!!!!!! Editing Chapter One. 😄 😩 I like it, but then I don't, and then I find a little sentence that makes me proud, and I tolerate it yet again. I've gone through almost all of my testers' emails and feedback — only one left — and I've been doing some tweaks and adjustments along the way.

I've been correcting some things I catch on my own, mainly fixing dialogue and the odd ty...

One for the Road — Part One

You're talking to him.

Hadrian can see your lips moving — Lord, he can never not see your lips moving — and he can hear your voice bathing his ears, but as much as he likes the sound, he's not making sense of the words. Hadrian stares at you and notices all the little details about your features. Sunlight comes in shredded shadows from between the branches of the willow tree. It makes a patchwork on your skin, the light and shade creating illusions of ridge...

Finished Writing Chapter Two!

It is Done. And I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!

I know  I promised to write the progress report yesterday, but I finished my writing session (mentally drained), and I had only 4 notebook pages until the end of the chapter. Four!!! So, I decided to write today and voilá. With almost 3k words written today, so I finish Chapter Two. 😭

2023-07-08 19:17:21 +0000 UTC View Post

Regarding the Alpha

Hello!

Just wanted to give a quick word regarding the alpha. Unfortunately, due to the link being leaked — and the sad truth that any other link I post would be immediately shared — I had to take it down. I'm currently researching other options on how to share my game so that both my work and your generous support can stay protected.

I'm probably going to use Moody.ink from now on. It has the option to Restrict Ac...

Sneak Peek

I liked this passage 😄. Poor Hadrian, the author loves to tease him.

- - -

You look at Hadrian critically from head to toe. "He'd be better off passing as a guard," you say, noting his height and muscular build. "Servants are meant to be unseen, discarded unless needed. Hadrian would attract eyes."

Lance cocks his head. "Yes, especially amongst the ladies."

"That could be good. If one takes him to a spare room, he can search the private quarters onc...

Alain Theer

Our local nobleman, Alain Theer, and one of his sparrows are depicted by the incredibly talented Venusmage (Tumblr| Twitter). I'm absolutely in love with this piece. ❤

Progress Report

I'm Back!!!!

And it feels so good. Yesterday I had a BIG writing session — around 3k words. It seemed like my fingers missed the keyboard as much as me. Or, you know, it could be that what they say is true: sometimes a break, whether voluntary or not, really does help stimulate the creative juices. 

In any case, yesterday, I went back and finished the missing choices I talked about a few weeks back — the characters Romanus can think about. I also finished one of the four ...

Silence

Hello!

I just wanted to write a quick post, given my recent lack of activity. If you haven't read the last Progress Update, I've been out of the country since last Thursday, and, as it always tends to happen, I haven't had a lot of time to sit down and be online. 

But I'll be flying back tomorrow! Activity — and updates — will resume then. 😊

I've been writing here and there, scribbles and dialogues in my notebook, and while this break has been wonderful, I'm itch...

Lingering Glance

"Now, we may speak freely. Alessa, Hadrian, ${Name}," Mist says, enunciating each name clearly and precisely. It's as if he's putting them deep into memory. "Welcome to one of my abodes. It isn't much, but it gets the job done."

Lance's grey eyes glow blue under the lanterns. The bard adjusts his seat on the desk, perching with his hip leaning on the side. The real meeting begins.

*page_break  "So, which one of you knows Latin?"

The words hit you like a boulder.  2023-06-27 14:53:33 +0000 UTC View Post

Spicy Q&A – Part One (Mature)

You know the Hadrian that comes out when Romanus is in danger or gets hurt? Serious, lethal, merciless, steely-eye? Ready to set the world on fire? What would THAT Hadrian be like in bed?

His hands shake as they cup your cheeks. "Are you hurt? Lord, you..."

You grab his wrists and sweep your thumbs over his pulse points. Hadrian's eyes are frantic, bouncing all over your face, and blood flows from a cut on his forehead, but he doesn't seem to feel it. "Hadrian, I'm fine...

Progress Report

This week flew by. It also crawled at a slug's pace. Funny how contradictory life can be.

I couldn't write every day (╥_╥). Tuesday and yesterday, I was swarmed with work and domestic obligations and couldn't sit down to materialize thoughts into words. But the rest of the days, I did write, and thus I creep closer and closer to the end of this chapter.

I really love the last scene!!! It's only accessible if you carry with you certain items and also choose to bargain, but if y...

June Q&A — Part Two

• Which ROs are most receptive to physical affection?

I'll interpret this as an honest, genuine physical show of love and affection, and not lust or desire. Because that would change the rating a lot — so, for this, I'm considering gestures like holding hands, a chaste kiss on the cheek or the forehead, a brush of gentle fingertips on the back of their shoulders, a tucking of a hair strand behind the ear. Leaning into them or have them lean into you when you're seat...

Playing with the thread of Time

I know Madeira wasn't discovered until the early 1400s, but Godamn it, if I want to write about bolo do caco, then I'll write about bolo do caco. This is a fantasy world where History is muddy and took a turn for a reason. 

This exists in the Rose:

Progress Report

Friday!

Today was a really good writing day. I wrote about 2.5k words — not the hefty word count of other weeks — but, this part is very tricky because every word counts, and it's full of descriptions and details. So, even if it's technically fewer words, it's the same or even more the amount of work.

I also decided to 'skip' a set of choices. It's the one I showed in the Sneak Peek at the beginning of this week. Basically, Romanus can think about a series of people or events ...

June Q&A — Part One

• Beka is left alone with Alessa and Hadrian.

The door closes with a soft thud, and silence falls over the room. Three pairs of eyes look anywhere but at each other. Hadrian sweeps his tongue over his lip, clears his throat, and then lifts his chin to count the number of cobwebs on the ceiling.

He counts three, no, two. That last one is just a particularly damp stain that somehow looks more alive than the cobwebs do. Hadrian narrows his eyes, trying to see the s...

Sneak Peek

What will you think about? 🤭

-

The minutes trickle by.

And you're in the midst of an underground chamber, about to meet the leader of a shadow organization, but, despite it all, your mind starts to wander.

1) To the castle overlooking the city. To the Theers.

2) To the dark, endless waters of the ocean. The Pirate.

3) To a pair of yellow eyes. Does Neia still roam the city?

*4) To a golden-haired guard. Is Vallen readying for your ...