The One Chosen (WIP; 366,000 words; updated 16/08/2024)

Hosted Games Works In Progress
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OneChosen
OneChosen2000×1500 224 KB

Plot

Four thousand years ago, the Dread Demon Lord Karakan was trapped beneath the world. But now, the four elemental seals are weakening, and his emergence is nigh. And only one person can stand between him and the end of the world – an orphaned teenage runaway, with mysterious origins and a dark past – you. Whisked out of your pitiful existence, you are transported to a flying school for magic, there to learn all you can in the few short years before it’s too late.

There's just one problem...

(Note: the following is a pretty big spoiler for something that’s a reasonable way into the beta/demo, but I think it’s quite important for understanding where I’m going to go with this. If you don’t want to be spoiled, don’t read the next paragraph. If you do read it, please remember to hide the text when you’re talking about it below.)

There’s just one problem: you’re not actually the Chosen One. You’re not even a very good mage. Turns out there was a really big mix-up and now you’re going to have to rely on your own wits and human-level strength if you want to have a chance of surviving the next few years…

Romance

There are eight ROs, all of whom are available to MCs regardless of gender, and certain poly options are available. Other characters may get minor romances later on, but I don’t want to promise anything.

ROs
Ædmund Bevan

A responsible, well-mannered young man, but does he have a secret rebellious streak?
(Male, Earth element, 2 years older than you. Poly option with Helena.)

Helena Sandford

A very friendly young lady, Helena is adventurous but also grounded.
(Female, Fire element, 1 year older than you. Poly option with Ædmund.)

Teri Farnsbury

An outgoing, flirtatious teenager who doesn’t seem to take anything seriously.
(Genderfluid, Water element, 1 year older than you. Poly option with Max.)

Charles Harcourt

Smug rich boy who enjoys showing off his wealth and physical strength.
(Male, Fire element, same year as you. Poly option with Kevin.)

Xiulan Baird

Hyperactive comic book fan who’s overjoyed to be in a magical world.
(Female, Air element, same year as you. Poly option with Dahlia.)

Max Flynn

Quiet but intelligent teenager with a fondness for undead.
(Agender, Earth element, same year as you. Poly option with Teri.)

Dahlia Tremane

Mute girl who enjoys reading and has a strong sense of social justice.
(Female, Water element, 1 year younger than you. Poly option with Xiulan.)

Kevin O'Sullivan

Nature loving boy with brightly-dyed hair and a penchant for picking up strays.
(Male, Air element, 1 year younger than you. Poly option with Charlie.)

Content Warnings

The game contains: a description of mental and to a lesser extent physical abuse (specifically from an abusive foster father); kidnapping and temporary loss of bodily autonomy.

The Demo

The One Chosen. The current demo has over 366,000 words, with an average playthrough of about 158,000 words.

If anyone has any questions or comments, please let me know. Thanks!

I also have a Tumblr and a Discord server if you want to check them out, and a Patreon, if you want to support me and my writing.

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This seems fun! The idea of playing as a not-so-side-character side character against a demon lord seems interesting!

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In general, I prefer ROs all be canonically bi/pan/etc, with preferences :slight_smile: But IIRC, you’re a proponent of specifically/explicitly gay representation, and nine ROs is certainly enough to play around with that! So I say go with your heart, and I’ll content myself with a variety of playthroughs (…as long as the most interesting characters aren’t straight :wink: )

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Given the high number of ROs I would love for them to have canon sexualities. I mean, bi/pan is a real orientation and not every character that can be romanced by anyone should be called “playersexual,” but even given that having some gay and straight ROs would be great. And it might be good to have some “attracted to men and nb people” or “women and nb people,” something I’ve seen quite a bit of in people I know, but never in a CS game

And even among those attracted to all genders, I think having a gender preference would be a worthy addition. It’s not something I’ve seen done in a CS game before, but it happens in real life enough I think it’s worth including. And if it doesn’t work, you can always just remove it

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Well, what I’m gonna say is something I’ve never said before because I’m always apprehensive to sound somewhat rude or to be attacked because this somehow, but since you’re asking…
I’m not opposed to this, but I can’t help but feel excluded when I play most of games that are like this. I say this because there’s usually the straight and gay/lesbian ROs, and okay, there are bi ROs too but that’s it. If the game is non-binary inclusive, our options are the bi ROs (or pansexual ROs, WHEN a game has it). Althought bi ROs are usually the majority, I still feel that we’re excluded because it seems that people think it’s absurd to think that there are people that feels attracted to non-binary people only. This is somethings that bothers me specially when a game has a lot of ROs (which I consider it to be more than 6), because it usually means there’s like 4 girls and 4 boys, frequently not even 1 non-binary RO (which is something that heavily dismotivates me to play as nb even being one myself, because if I do I feel I’m an exception in the game’s world that people just pretends that never existis and is binary) and that is perfectly okay and existent for people to like only men or only women, that are ROs just for those who play as a woman or man, but non-binary people never seem to have an exclusive RO to us. Since you’re asking, I’d be very happy to see this for once in forever.
I appologize if it sounds like a tantrum, but it’s something that really bothers me and since your game is gonna have 9 ROs I think it’s something relevant to say.

Regarding the spoiler, I love this omg. I think I’ve only seen somthing like this in this comunity once so I’m loving it already, it’s always something I look forward to play: not being the special snowflake once in a while :hugs: )

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I’m probably gonna read if there is more but man do I love that You are the chosen one but not are the chosen one!

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Seconded. I’m also cetero, so I’d appreciate a cetero nb RO. Just something for us nbs.

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Okay, from everyone’s comments, I’ve decided that I’ll stick with making the characters bisexual with preferences rather than strictly homo- or heterosexual. :slight_smile:

As for an nb RO, I can confirm that there will certainly be one. Sadly, they are going to be one of the three to appear later in the story, but I am thinking that I’ll give nb MCs a bonus to romancing them. :thinking:

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I am now new Fang now give me food :laughing:

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I’m not the Almighty Savior of the World, you say? Be still my heart.

Ædmund is a sweetheart, and while magical schools aren’t my thing I think you’ve set up what we know of the world well and I enjoy your writing regardless so :man_shrugging: I’m definitely going to enjoy this!

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I love all your work and this premise and world already has me intrigued

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got say this brain power all ways wins in fight even if other person has magic on his or her side

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This really give me an Harry Potter vibes going on, especially with the characters (mostly with Æthelgard). The term of “bloodless” really remind me of “muggles” as well. So uhm, can we romance the demon lord? :]

Summary

you also wrote “enrollment” wrong where its states the stats. I would screenshot but I forgot to (my bad)

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Yayyyyyyy! :partying_face: I’m glad to see this out in public! :hugs:

I don’t really have any new comments… oh, except shouldn’t you get to choose your honorific for “they/them/their” pronouns as well? :thinking:

As for the whole orientation thing, while I do think you’ve enough ROs to include some orientation locks, I also feel like this is a story that works better with bi/pan with a preference anyway, so I’m quite happy with the decision :slight_smile:
(And yeah, this is an author who has created threads about gay representation and who frequently comments when games give gay characters inferior options, so… yeah, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about on the gay front here :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:)

Oh hey, and the very first character we meet (outside of backstory) is nonbinary… I don’t think I’ve ever seen that elsewhere :smile::nonbinary_flag:

Agreed :hugs:

There are some similarities, yeah, but the setting’s also got some pretty nifty unique stuff to it, which will be fun to see :smile: The magic system especially is gonna be really fun and flavorful :grin:

So did Æthelgard remind you of anyone specific, or just generally? :thinking:

Good catch, but it’s not wrong; it’s British :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye: I had to check that one myself when I was proofreading… I am always second-guessing myself with these spellings :laughing:

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I can think of one, but still! Lord knows I’m always here for nonbinary characters right at the outset :nonbinary_flag:

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I think it would be better to improve the personality of MC , how he/she put up with his/her abusive foster parent and thet guy who train person to be obedient. For example the MC has a strong psyche and he/she was only pretending to be obedient and he/she is more accepting of the situation. And if he/she has weak spyche she/he would be more scared, for example when he/she is at the house of that magical police guy (sorry i forgot the name) when he/she realize that the door is closed he/she start to panic.
I mean this is just proposal, you could make what i just proposed in form of choice or in form personality, i mean if you start a game with a MC with weak psyche he would be cautious and afraid of thing until maybe a choice later

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Magic~ Yassss! Can’t wait for update! By the way, I would prefer it if you didn’t lock the RO’s. That’s my opinion~

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Yeah; I realise that there may be parallels especially at the start… :sweat_smile: Hopefully I can take the story in a very different direction, though. :slight_smile:

For an example that’s not yet in the demo: the school will have four houses, one for each of the classical elements – earth, air, fire, and water. This isn’t something I can really change, but there are reasons for it (and besides, a lot of schools, including my own, would have had four houses…)

:imp:: No.

I’ll see how that could work. :thinking: Thanks.

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just watching from a far

glad to see you have another story :grin:
i will keep an eye out for this one~ :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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You could always add more from the Eastern elements like wood and steel!

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