A SHRIEK OF ASH AND FIRE (WIP) [50k UPDATE, 531k TOTAL-11th November 2024] (704K on Patreon)

To play the demo: A Shriek of Ash and Fire (dashingdon.com)

My brand new patreon!

My Tumblr, mostly about An Unexpectedly Green Journey, will be shifting its focus to A Shriek of Ash and Fire as time goes by: Tumblr

A follow up to An Unexpectedly Green Journey, set more than a millennium after the events of the founding of the Green Empire. Playing the first game is not necessary but will add context.

In A SHRIEK OF ASH AND FIRE you play as a male or female tearaway at the tail end of adolescence, a petty thief running with the street gangs of Grandardagard, the vast capital of Ardland. The city is teeming with the ideas and products born from industrial revolution. Rumours abound of a new advisor guiding the hand of the unimpressive king, to clean up the city and embark on a ‘very certain future.’

A small confrontation leads to violence and banishment. You and your mates will find themselves pressganged into Zthullu, the dangerous ash continent to the West, potentially joining the crew of an immense ash crawler.

Here, untold mineral wealth waits for the daring and nefarious. But there’s also talk of revolution and war. Events tumble to a knife edge as the certainties of the past clash with utopian dreams of a future.

You, a mere street rat may play a pivotal role in events which will change the world forever…

This game takes a different approach from my previous one. Here, the narrative will be tighter, though you will get an immense amount of choice as you forge your reputation in Zthullu, in preparation for a life of banditry, wealth and influence, exploration or revenge.

As well as being influenced by the good old favourites, LOTR and Warhammer, there’s a dash of Mad Max and Immortal Engines to proceedings this time (maybe a bit of Dune sprinkled in for good measure).

RO Stuff

Romance is not a focus of this game, adventure and revolution are. But there will be opportunities for amorous encounters. Some of these encounters may lead to relationships of a deeper, more meaningful magnitude.

At present characters who are potential ROs, or at least those with possible ‘romantic’ encounters, are (this list may, and probably will, change while the game is developed):

Coireal (potential)
Colonel Thrayton
Free Agent, Man-Without-Title, Zuan (potential)
Gibleti the Head Swab, and a goblin
Lady Evagrey the Younger
Lord Evagrey the Younger
Serafina
Vincent (potential- now this has been suggested- Vin, being an orc, doesn’t function the same way that us disgusting mammals do- but in a world of magic there could be a potential liaison down the line, though it would have to involve some rather far-out tinkering, the likes of which are only done by gods, demons or arch wizards and witches. Or, something else…)

UPDATE 5 (50K, 531k total- 11th November 2024)

Here, you have the first part of the Fort Ard Update, 50k+ bringing this version of the game to over 500k words. How will you spend your time on the eve of revolution?

-Take the load off and enjoy a street festival.

-Or, if your cloth is cut properly, enter an exclusive club.

-Or, kick back in a pub with the rest of the crawler boys and girls.

-Lots of variable-dependent events. This scene could pass quickly or not, depending on your choices. Some choices are only available to certain professions.

-Potentially, get closer with Colonel Thrayton, Sera or add a notch to Gibleti’s, already hacked-to-pieces, bedpost.

-If you have become one of the Evagrey twins’ favoured bootlickers, get a chance to delve into their past and uncover another side of this sadistic pair.

Many new variables which may mess with old saves. As always, I am open to feedback and bug/typo fixes though might be slower on the uptake this month.

Best wishes to you all!

UPDATE 4 (103K, 481k total- 13th October 2024)
This update is mostly events and stories, rather than game systems, conentrating on one of the crawler escape paths. Brakka is much denser than New Yeirshee. It has more issues. And more ways of handling these issues.

-Make a life in Brakka for a short period of time.
-Work in the mines, on the pit level, or in the gun towers on the crust.
-Visit the Gristle in the Bristles pub to join the Cold Pact and the bearded dwarves.
-Or join the actions of beardless dwarves and escaped human conscripts, deserters and wanderers to plan their escape.
-There are 4 missions for supporters of the beardless folk, to wreak havoc in Brakka. Or 3 missions to put the damn beardless in their place- making the scene very replayable.
-If you mess up you might die. More than likely though, you’ll be locked up to await a terrible fate as a slave in one of the Cold Pact’s crawlers, which will be a future playable path.
-Oh, and if you are a dwarf, you can grow a beard!

Any help with typos and bugs is much appreciated. I will resolve to fix any issues ASAP.

UPDATE 3 (128K, 378k total- 15th September 2024)
-Travel to New Yeirshee and explore this weird scab of a town
-Join the Ash Land Road Pirates and become a road warrior, earning a ‘road name’.
-Fight against other vehicles using the road combat system.
-If you are inclined towards magic, enhance your skills with the formidable, dark powers of Naga magic and become the legendary Abhidhar of Zthullu.
-Potentially, get much closer to Zuan, the Man Without Title.
-Keep up to date with events back in Behatland by viewing the ‘news portal’ in the communal mess.

UPDATE 2 (97K, 250k total- 14th August 2024)
-With Vin and Sera, with a squad of ash marines, venture into Zthullu to confront a Yonder threat.
-Take part in an intense battle and uncover the secret behind a new enemy weapon.
-Return from your expedition in the ash lands and report to none other than Commodore Evagrey, the Lord of Despair.
-Spread dissent for your favoured faction or weaken your enemies.
-Investigate sightings of an intruder… depending on how your expedition in Zthullu went.
-Potentially get closer, very close, to Sera, Gibleti, the Evagrey Twins and/or Colonel Thrayton.
-Learn new skills.
-Prepare for the coming revolution.

UPDATE 1 (87k, 153k total- 5th July 2024)

-Expanded the Crawler paths for each profession. Now, you can settle into your new job, meet a few new people and get involved with some of the politics and mysteries of crawler life. This is the main content of the update by far.
-If you have fled the crawler, you have a small expansion of events heading north or south. Go north to find the town of Brakka, home of many outcasts, or south to New Yeirshee, where you will join ash pirates and be able to pick a weapon and vehicle.
-Added a new ‘pamphlet’ section to the stats screen, where I can handily add bits about lore which would be useful for playing the game. Right now, there is a summary of names for various mixtures of the races of Behatland- mostly because I found writing things like half halfling half-elf terrifying.
-Split up the lore stats screen a bit, to avoid scrolling issues on mobiles.

UPDATE 0 (66k- June 9th 2024):
-Very early stages and everything is up for change and development. Less than 10% complete.
-Create your character and choose their heritage; dwarf, goblin, elf or halfling.
-Hone your starting skills in your gang, the Roachpedes.
-Begin to form relationships with factions which will alter your destiny.
-Arrive in Zthullu and begin your journey in this most blighted of places, as a runaway or as part of an ash crawler crew.
-From the stats screen, find the political map of Behatland and read about how the world has changed since An Unexpectedly Green Journey.
-If you join an ash crawler find a page detailing its immense size and power. Can such a mechanical beast survive?

204 Likes

Damn, a first release with 66K words right away? Consider me intrigued.

28 Likes

Looks great! I don’t have time to take a look yet, but I’m planning to do so once I get a good bit of time for a few playthroughs.

5 Likes

@Dragomer

Hi Dragomer,

Still very early days. What is here is effectively the prologue, the initiating events for the wider story.

@ChanceOfFire

Hi ChanceOfFire,

Quite a bit different to my last outing. Since this is more narrative-driven, the early choices are more about setting up your character and the consequences of these choices are yet to play out fully. But they do set the scene.

Cheers to both of you for posting on my board and relieving it of early feelings of anxiety and loneliness:)

15 Likes

There’s a saying for me never signed a paper if you feel something bad is going to happen and I didn’t even though I got beaten up

4 Likes

They really want you to sign it!

This is, at this early stage, a very consequential choice.

5 Likes

I literally just had the thought hey I wonder when their new game will be out I should go and ask
And their I see your icon at the top of the high fantasy so I’m really glad you posted last because I might not have noticed if not
Haven’t tried it out yet but seems really interesting from the description
(@NumberedEntity
(Also is this needed when I reply it just doesn’t show the replies to thing so I do this just in case is it needed or?))

3 Likes

Well from Skyrim Imperials like their paperwork well they’re not getting this paperwork!

2 Likes

@Lucifur-dark

I often put in the @ sign, though the reply should show even without it. It can make it clearer I suppose, though I’ll always read the replies.

I will add to the description in time. At this early stage, future paths are not certain, so I put the general gist.

Thanks for showing your interest, Lucifur. I hope it all comes together. In my mind, this will unfold to be an epic adventure, so I hope I can keep pace!

@Takashi_Shin

Some of us relish our freedoms too much to sign our lives away! There will be harsh consequences… but whatever happens, you will be the master of your destiny!

7 Likes

I think the only way to maybe make me sign is my empathetic behavior and real life I care about people myself I care a little bit but it goes down to a bigger portion of people I’m the one who might sign a paper just to save a hundred

1 Like

@NumberedEntity
I guess that’s a good rule to go by

Also I don’t know if this a bad thing or something to be ashamed of or idk something else but I did read this as
“Shrek of ash and fire”
And was so confused then I went up to go to the demo and realized it was shriek not shrek

(And I don’t know if I’m spelling the name right I am talking about the green ogre in swamp with the donkey
I wouldn’t put this in I if didn’t mispel a name into rancor so I thought I’d make sure)

1 Like

@Takashi_Shin

You’ve given me an idea. I want the player to feel very compelled to sign. Avalina may well, in future, tell you that your signature will help to keep your friends safe. Though can she really be trusted?

@Lucifur-dark

The title is a play on A Song of Ice and Fire- I must say, I have written it as Shrek a few times. I don’t think I use the word ‘shriek’ much.

Since my last game was about orcs, this might programme us to see Shrek, who is orcish in looks!

15 Likes

Is it stated what kind of elf we have heritage with? Like are we part of a normal forest elf or is there a chance we can be part of our good old dark elf friends?

6 Likes

I will read this and tell you if I like it. But this is already more up my alley. I can be female and it is more narrative driven is a big plus for me!

2 Likes

I hope there is romance this time

7 Likes

Sorry, but I could only think of A Blank of Blank and Blank.

5 Likes

@Chickenboy11

Your heritage is a plain old forest elf type- No one is sure what has happened to the dark elves.

Maybe they’ll crop up…

@HarleyQueen

Thanks, Harley, for giving it a go. With the orc game, it didn’t make sense to have a male/female choice because of the nature of orcs in this world. Since you play as a human, with a mixed heritage, I think it is necessary to allow this choice.

@Adai_Ahmad

Yes, there will be optional romances, though I intend to keep this somewhat limited and in line with the greater story arc.

@cup_half_empty

Well, it certainly does follow that format!

13 Likes

Another masterpiece in the making! Just read it and already love it keep up the amazing work!

2 Likes

@NumberedEntity

Really interesting excited for the first update

spoilers

Really surprised you actually had a path to escape would’ve expected it to be forced to work and then escape
I do like that you can escape before it’s interesting tho I am curious how you are going to have that path be seems like it will be very interesting surviving in the wastelands

Couple things
1:do you say the name and I just missed I mean it’s very possible I just missed it is 7:13 as of writing this and I haven’t slept yet
2:you are a little to nice which I get being the circumstances of the gang but it would be nice to be a little crueler (granted I have only done the “magic” path being since you couldn’t previous game mostly and was curious how you would implement it)
3:their was a decision that I wish was worded differently or had a choice to see how it was meant

spoiler

Being when you can chose to not do anything when the raid happens and you chose not to do anything. When mal is called forth it would be nice if you can say you do not move because you know you can’t do anything instead of the fear
And or before that you chose not to run with the group after mal
Again I get why being the circumstances but it would be nice and it wouldn’t have that much of a change in the story and I don’t think any change in stats so it would be just a slight description change that would be nice not needed tho

Other that that great start it’s an intriguing story so far
And lastly I imagine your not doing the only branching part of the story first but I could be wrong so are you going to do it how you did with green journey and do one path at a time
(I do know that it will not be like that for a while being it’s still the beggining)
Or well I actually don’t know or (and no this definitely not being asked for a different reason under the guise of something else)
Edit:I forget to ask is the work count including the lore bits on the country’s because granted I’ve only done one path but I can definitely already see a decent bit of variation and that along with the lore bits dose seem more than 60 k
Edit:oh and the game is not on the dashingdon
home page

2 Likes

What a god you are NumberedEntity. I would’ve hoped to play as an elf but I guess a half-elf will do.

1 Like