The Flower of Fairmont is an epistolary game in which the bulk of the plot will be told through letters that the MC writes and receives. The setting is loosely based on Victorian-era England, although it draws a lot of inspiration from the genre of Regency romance. Unlike Turncoat Chronicle, this game doesn’t take place in a setting that’s neutral with regards to gender and sexuality.
Our protagonist is a young woman of the landed gentry, the only daughter of Mr Kalman Wyndale, owner of the estate Windy Way, and the late Ms Thistle Fairmont. Depending on her age, the MC will be a student in a girls’ college, a debutante in rural society, or the mistress of the estate. In terms of situation and temperament, I refer to these three archetypes as “the Marianne”, “the Lizzy”, and “the Emma”.
Our setting is the small, idyllic mountain town of Fairmont, the birthplace of the MC’s mother, Thistle. Fairmont resides in the beautiful mountains of Axillian and is much more rural and wild than the tamed countryside of Rosewood, the town where the MC was raised. Local folklore is rich with ghost stories and fairy stories, which hold much more credibility here in the mountains than in Rosewood.
The game’s timeframe begins in early spring and stretches over most of the summer, to early autumn.
Our plot begins with your arrival in Fairmont, at the house of your great-aunt, where your father has sent you following an irreconcilable argument regarding proper behavior. The morning after you arrive, your aunt hands you a packet of letters from four of the people closest to you, and from then on it’s up to you to decide which letters you’ll read, which you’ll answer, and how.
During your time in Fairmont, you will get to know some of the local people, and you may find yourself drawn into their struggles and personal dramas. You may overhear things that surprise you, or learn unexpected facts from books and old newspapers. With time and persistence, you might uncover long-kept secrets, or even solve local mysteries. Alternatively, you may choose to take advantage of your stay in Fairmont to learn more about your mother, from the people who knew her in her youth.
Our cast:
Summary
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Kalman Wyndale, a gentleman whose income comes from the estate he inherited. Mr Wyndale was once a professor at a women’s college, which is where he met his late wife. He’s very protective of his only daughter.
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Audeline Fairmont, a gentlewoman of limited means. Aunt Audeline is the MC’s loving (but not very familiar) great-aunt on her mother’s side. She takes charge of the MC’s education and respectability when her father sends her to Fairmont.
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Jessa Pawlie, a country socialite of Rosewood. Jessa is the MC’s neighbor and childhood friend. Her parents are very strict with her and don’t approve of the friendship. They believe the MC is a corrupting influence on Jessa, while Kalman believes the exact opposite.
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Delmyn Arlick, a gentleman of means residing in Rosewood. Mr Arlick has for some time expressed his interest in courting the MC, though her father does not seem to approve.
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Yan-Ithah “Yanni” Wyndale, an archeologist’s assistant and former army nurse. Yanni is the MC’s bold, adventurous paternal cousin, friend, and often mentor. Kalman would have apoplexy if the MC got into one-tenth of the danger that Yanni considers routine.
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Noelissa “Noe” Tulian, a doctor’s daughter and noted eccentric. Noe’s parents wish very much for the MC to befriend her. She’s known for her encyclopedic knowledge of Fairmont’s local flora and fauna.
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Maritte Varavis, Aunt Audeline’s good friend and housekeeper. A cheerful and welcoming soul.
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Beyville Varavis, Maritte’s son, whom Audeline lodges and keeps as a gardener. His military service has left him with a permanent injury. A quiet and thoughtful young man.
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Kyro Asten, like the MC, a stranger to Fairmont. He has come to Fairmont seeking the town’s local records, while on some unspecified errand for a friend.
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Thistle Fairmont, the MC’s mother. Born and raised in the town of Fairmont, she left as a young woman to pursue her schooling and never returned. Her past is inextricably intertwined in the town’s particular history.
Questions and answers:
Summary
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“Is the game gender-locked?” Yes. The MC is female.
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“What are the romances in the game?” There are four romance options, two male and two female.
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“How old is the MC?” You can choose the MC’s age based on the background you chose. Choosing “I should be at school” sets her age to eighteen. Choosing “I should be out in society” sets her age to twenty-two. Choosing “I should be home” sets her age to thirty.
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“Can I reject Delmyn’s romantic courtship?” Yes. If you reject him in a letter, he will never make another romantic advance and will consider the MC a friend. If you simply don’t reply to his letters, he will likewise consider this a rejection.
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“Do I have to write home to Papa/Jessa/Delmyn/Yanni?” You don’t have to write to any specific NPC you don’t want to. They will send you a letter in which they ask you why you haven’t written, and if you don’t reply to that, they won’t write again. It’s not currently possible to progress the game without writing to at least one of your potential correspondents, even if your main form of documentation is the journal.
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“Do I have to be honest in my letters, or can I lie?” There are two types of letters that you write: the main letter (or journal entry) that fully describes the events of each week and the replies to your (other) correspondents. The replies are not full accounts of your week and can be considered unreliable. However, the main letter that starts each week is the “canon” of that week’s events. If you don’t think your MC should/would be that honest with any of her confidantes, you can choose the journal option for the main letter. Lying in your private journal would be, well, a little weird.
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“How many endings will the game have?” I’m currently planning about nine or ten different variations, although some of the details are not set in stone.
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“Will the romances be explicit?” Due to the tone, the setting, and the epistolary nature of the game, the romances will be fairly chaste. However, it’s worth remembering that there are gaps in the MC’s account of her life. What happens in those gaps is purely up to the reader. But no, at no point will the MC be writing Jessa an account of her sexual exploits with her hot new man, or anything of that sort.
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“What do the characters look like?” I include physical descriptions where I find them appropriate. There are no descriptions of Kalman or Thistle, so your MC can look however you want her to, but she probably won’t be describing herself in her letters or journal.
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“Why does Kalman send his only daughter away?” He was raised and has lived all his life in a society that has very strict ideas about propriety, especially for unmarried women, and especially in the countryside. He’s acting as he believes a responsible, loving father would, in what he believes is the MC’s best interest. He dislikes being separated from her, but he won’t apologize for making decisions on her behalf.
Update log:
Summary
- Version 0.1 (14/1/21): includes chapter 1 and half of chapter 2.
- Version 0.2 (19/10/21): includes the full chapter 2, up to the end of week 2.
- Version 0.2.1 (22/8/23): small changes to chapters 2 and 3.
- Version 0.3 (11/3/24): added the main body of chapter 3, week 3.
Now also mirrored on the Zinc Alloy itch page!
