Another Week? Another random idea to toss to the world…
Surgit: Finding Humanity
This one is simple, by design, a story of an immortal who falls upon a mortal child and takes them in. An immortal who has lived a long life and has, for so long, began to wash the world away into shades of gray. An immortal who has seen kingdoms rise and fall, and turn to dust forgotten, whose watched races run to extinction. However, in a moment of weakness, or perhaps yet unseen strength, you find it in your cold calloused heart to take in a small wrinkly red thing that screams at you for mercy.
Little did you know that the child would change everything, and let you finally see the world again in colour.
I think this story would fall into low fantasy with heavy historical influences, (Based off of Ancient China, though precisely when I haven’t figured yet). It is intended to be a slice of life with romantic interests that slowly veers into a tragedy depending on how you choose to live. (I think that at the end of the game, you could relinquish your immortality to live a final life as a mortal, turn your lover and child immortal, something along those lines…? Or you could let them live their days as mortals, until they part from the world.)
I have not placed much thought on ROs yet, but I do want romance to be a strong element in the game, something that opens up to the MC slowly over time as years pass. I think that the MC likely wouldn’t have had much real romantic connection with people, as they were in a state of apathy for a long time about the world around them.
I am just curious what people think of the concept, I have seen it done once or twice, but I think getting the option to experience it in IF would be unique and interesting.
Intended Features
- Set in a setting inspired by ancient China, specifically probably around the 400s AD? Though I don’t know precisely when yet. I think there are not enough IF set in an Asian inspired setting!
- Customizable MC, be one of the last of a dying race (‘elves’), a minor deity all but forgotten to time, or a cursed human! (Each of these backstories are intended to have a distinctive impact throughout the course of the game, being non-human could service as both a boon and a curse in times of need. Either way, customization will matter more here than in modern IFs considering the setting,)
- Gender selectable MC and ROs
- Gender selectable child (that you raise!)
- Choose your sexuality and romantic orientations separately! (This is particularly an important distinction for in world reasons)
Potential RO Ideas
(These are just what first comes to mind when I think of people the MC would likely engage with a lot throughout the course of the story):
- A single parent who the MC connects with after a moment of desperation. (A widow who needs to work through their grief yet.)
- A friend from their past, a fellow nomad who couldn’t help but find it curious when rumors of yourself settling down were whispered in the shadows. (Who is playful, curious, and perceptive).
- A fellow immortal, who had found you only thanks to your settling into one spot (Despite being similarly immune to the toll years take on the body, finding kinship may be most difficult with one who has a life similar to yours.)
Details on the world
The world will not heavily feature magic, it is something which exists, but I believe it’s presence in a larger capacity than as an inherent force in the world would introduce a weird disconnect. Why would a multi-century old creature not have the powers to just figure out the key to immortality? I might reconsider, perhaps the child has an affinity for it the MC has to struggle handling as one not connected with it.
‘Elves’ will likely get renamed to something else, since they are not the traditional attractive dainty pale ethereal things that are so commonly associated with the genre. I imagine they are tall, and lithe as general characteristics. They are largely asexual (though the reader may choose for their individual elf). Their lack of natural drive and a plague that ravaged elven populations a few hundred years ago left them as little more than myth. They also, while generally readily acknowledging their birth sex, are rather disconnected from gender as it holds little relevance to them. I’ll stop rambling though because I could go on forever.
[Note] The whole reason for this idea is that it is, relative to other things I’ve conceptualized, contained in scale with a clear path to lead. I think it would make for a good first project, I guess. Part of me wants to change the title to something more clearly East Asian / Chinese inspired, but I really like how Surgit sounds for some reason lmfao.
- I would be interested in playing!
- I think I would be interested in playing?
- Not my cup of tea.
0 voters