Oh my GOD the book within a book trope is my FAVORITE.
You’ve already got me hooked.
I’m already getting headcanons that this book is actually the history of the land, which is why it’s forbidden.
I’m really sorry if I somehow missed this (I’m a speed reader), but will there be romance options?
I’m already shipping Pasiphae and Icarus. Like that is already a ship. Sorry o3o
Same here! You should read If on a winter’s night a traveler by Italo Calvino if you like books within books. (Ironically, it’s told in second person half of the time.)
Interesting theory.
No problem! You haven’t missed it since the question hasn’t been asked/answered yet.
Yes, there will be several ROs (and, lucky for you, Icarus is one of them!) But only in the book-half.
Mainly because The City Child is around 12 years old and the only other characters are The City (which is a city made of metal), Mentor who’s late 20s early 30s, Nikolai who is around 17, Rosie who’s 8, and Miss Julie who’s also late 20s-early 30s.
But within Icarus Sun there’s 4 ROs:
Icarus
Cynthia
Copper
Lorraine
Or if you chose to not romance anyone that’s good too, having an RO will add to the plot some but it won’t take away anything. And some characters will be harder to romance if you chose certain options that don’t pertain to romantic intentions. (But that’ll be pretty obvious, since a lot of these characters have conflicting goals, such as Lorraine and Icarus. If you tend to side with Lorraine it’ll be harder to romance Icarus and vice versa.)
Just a heads up about two quick things:
So I had a couple of days free which was fantastic because I basically just wrote and went horseback riding which are two of my favorite things. It also meant that, in the writing half, I got a lot done.
So expect the next update by the end of this week, I would say.
The update is going to be subsequently longer (word-wise) and shorter (plot-wise) than was originally planned. Word-wise I’ve technically already surpassed the 10,000 word goal but most of that is due to the fact that coming up is one of those sequences I’ve talked about.
Shorter plot-wise because although this sequence has taken up the majority of the wording it also means that this next City section is longer, and I expected to get to the next Icarus Sun section as well, but since the City section in and of itself surpasses the original goal and I don’t want to just flood this update with a ton of stuff going on, I’m probably going to just finish up this City section and have that be the new update. Does that sound good to you guys?
That and the fact that the next Icarus Sun section will probably be as long if not longer, so that really should be separated just for the sake of sanity.
If anyone has any ideas/suggestions, I’m open to them! Thanks for listening.
how did i not notice this WIP until now?
Honestly, all I can really muster at the moment are excited T-Rex noises.
…in other words, I’m incapable of saying very much of substance at this time and so will simply go with ‘I really, really like this and am looking forward to what comes next.’ I promise I’ll come up with something better eventually.
Also, your update plan sounds legit. I’m personally a proponent of update floods, but then I gotta wonder if that’ll also flood you, the author, so… You do you.
WOW just wow!
This is a fantastic wip! A story within a story is really a fascinating concept and you did a pretty intriguing start! You go me hooked up with your world!
Do I need to say, that I’m already in love with Icarus?
We lie in the shadows, awaiting our time to strike and draw you in.
T-Rex noises are good. Just don’t go Jurassic Park on us and kill us all. That would not be fun… or so I assume.
Thank you so much! I’m happy you like it!
Most likely than not updates will come… hopefully pretty close together? Question mark because I’m also volunteering soon and that’s going to eat up time, but not all time. So hopefully the leftover time can be recycled and cooked up again in order to be served to this WiP.
Thank you so much!
Ahahah, I’m getting the sense that our little wingless illusionist man is becoming a favorite.
I’m curious to see what everyone thinks of the other ROs, when they’re introduced.
But remember what happened to Icarus when he flew close to the sun, he died and by the way is that a planned event?
So, there are pieces of this story inspired by the legend of Icarus… but most of it is basically just the product of the weird hippie watercolor swirl of ideas that float around in my head. And I can’t say much, but I can say that in the literal sense that won’t happen.
What I can also put under spoilers is pay attention to what Icarus calls you, especially if romanced.
So, yeah, can’t state anything direct but those are your two hints 
EDIT: I’ll also say, to assuage your worries (or perhaps add to them?), that I don’t plan on railroading anyone into any one specific kind of ending. Tragic or happy.
I love all world mythology so I have to say I have high expectations for this, and willing to help if needed.
And now the title of the game makes even more sense. So metaphorically speaking, he’s going to be burned really hard for the mc.
You’re giving me feels already.Do I smell some angst or is it my idea?
So we really are going to have some tragic endings. Are they’re going to be different, if let’s just saty, we have persuaded a romantic relationship with Icarus?
EDIT:You referred Icarus as illusionist; does this mean that he’s some kind of power/abilities?
The scent of angst is sweet, no? Maybe that’s just me.
This is kinda tricky, it’s like with the sequences that I talked about above.
“Good” and “Bad” are highly subjective when it comes to endings in this game. If you’re aiming for one ending, and get something else than it could be considered the “horrible, oh no no no, I messed up big time this isn’t what I wanted”, ending. But if you were aiming to get that ending then it might seem like the “yes, finally, I’ve been trying to get this to happen and I’m so glad that it did this is perfect” ending.
So are there “tragic” endings? Yes, very much so. But they might also be the “good ending” if that was what you were aiming for.
I think a prime example of this will actually be in the next update (not ending wise but the whole "if you’re trying for this then getting the other thing means that this is your bad situation but for someone else they may be trying to get the other thing and actually doing the original goal would be their bad situation), since the next update involves two sequences.
I hope you like memory puzzles! (And also guessing games).
You see a bit of that (I’m fairly certain) at the end of the current demo? (Or, wait… did we not get to that yet? If not then it’s in the next update.) But… yes. He does. But not like how most people in Alatum do.
Let’s just say it’s one of the reasons he’s a wanted criminal.
I just noticed that the male MC default name Daedalus…(and i was looking forward to Icarus scolded by his father).I was playing as female MC the first time so i though the other gender name also representing the sun hahahaha…and gender-netral MC default name is just tragic…
He will never reach them…oh…I guess they represent what Icarus will never reach…or i’m just overthingking it.
I thought there will only tragic ending for the book.I’m glad…
Ahaha I really wish I could’ve found another name so directly tied in with the Icarus legend that wasn’t his dad’s name. I’m considering switching it with Ovid which is the default male City Child name… I mean in the end it doesn’t matter since I assume most people will name their MC whatever they want? But just for those who keep the default names so that they’re not romancing someone who’s called Icarus with someone named… Daedalus…
Freud might be happy but I don’t know if others share Freud’s opinions.
You know that could also work… like if the Male MC’s default name was Helios…
Or maybe I should go with Minos? The name of the king who imprisoned Daedalus and thusly sent Daedalus and Icarus on their conquest to fly.
Then you’ve got the daughter of that which killed Icarus, the man that imprisoned Icarus, and the one that Icarus will never reach.
Welp, the new default name is going to be Minos I think. Because that’s just perfect. (As much as Daedalus is just a flat out amazing name, I’m a sucker for symbolism.)
A good dose is always more than welcome for my mc and her relationship and choice. I tend to enjoy more the bittersweet, grey plots and endings where not everything goes the way the mc has planned or expected or losing someone dear (they create such emotional impact), instead of the ones with the typical black & white logic (not that is a bad thing). So I guess, this is what I consider tragic, and I really can’t wait how different choices will to different situations. I enjoy puzzles; although I’m not the most patient person 
Now that I think about, when the mc was in the bus with and discussing with, she noticed that no one was paying attention to them, even though based on their diffetent appearrance they usually get a lot of (negative) attention. Was that a sample of what Icarus is capable to do?
Well, I’m certainly glad you like having grey-area endings.
The puzzles are pretty quick when played out, and there’s no real way to go back so if you “mess up” (again that depends on whether or not messing up for you is completing the puzzle by accident or not completing the puzzle at all and getting the different result), you just get the different result from it.
Just make sure you remember the specifics… unless you don’t want to. (Gah, explaining is more confusing than actually writing them out.)
Yep! Indeed it was. You’ll see more of that at the start of the next update, a more direct example as well. Also, if you choose to talk it out with the police then Icarus will seem to appear out of thin air, as if nobody had noticed him before- which is another example of his tricky magic.
I also thought the male MC name was Helios…but i guess Minos is pretty good…but i thought Minos will be one of the Police or the Mayor.
Tricky magic?i thought He can bend the light or has a really low presence and good with misdirection at first?oh,well i guess i will find out in the next update.
I would’ve done Helios, but it would’ve been an odd fit because all other names are directly tied with the actual Icarus legend. While Helios’ would be a bit looser? The sun and then Icarus, does that make sense?
“Tricky magic” as in hard to pin down, not like tricks and such, sorry about that.
I guess it makes sense…
Oh,and don’t worry english is not my first language.I might not understand something it’s okay,thanks for replying.
Good luck with the writing.
No problem! Thank you for helping me figure out the name! 
Thank you very much!
Just a quick announcement:
So I’m having some trouble updating the demo on dashingdon, and I’m trying to puzzle out what it is I’m doing wrong (it works, but only to a certain point in the code, even though I can’t find any bugs there when I open it on firefox?) In the meantime, I’m going to remove the link to the demo so nobody stumbles upon a 404 error and becomes confused as to why it’s not working.
Hopefully I’ll be able to get the updated demo up today, if I can’t by the end of the day then I’ll just put up what I know is working (aka what’s there already). Thanks for your patience!
Edit: Figured it out, I’ll put up the updated link!