Until the Colors Bleed Gray {WiP} (Updated 11/6/20) (Now with new music!)

Hey guys! I’m Lemon Ink and am relatively new to the CoG and Hosted Games Forums. This is the first time in forever that I’ve written something other than a school essay so I hope y’all will find it an enjoyable read!

So let’s jump into the story, shall we?

Welcome mortal, to the land of the Faere.

You wouldn’t necessarily say that you were the poster child for the average American teenager. After all, being completely blind for what feels like your entire life isn’t exactly something a lot of people are familiar with. However, you still lived a fairly uneventful and sheltered life as the only child of a rich businessman in a sunny, beachside Californian town.

That is… until you fell into the fantastical world of the faere. Or rather, it crashed into you.

Go on quests with a plethora of colorful companions, explore worlds both mythical and real, form various bonds with characters, both good and bad, and maybe, just maybe… discover who you truly are as you unravel the mysteries which hide beneath the surface of the elusive faere…

A warning to those who wish to read:

The first scene deals with mentions of blood and sensory overload(?). There will be later mentions of character death and various traumas that I will elaborate upon when they are added. Also, I’d like to clarify that the main character is indeed blind, but this is based on more fantastical elements in the story so I’d like to clarify that this is not an accurate portrayal of blindness and was not written to wrongly portray the lives of those with actual conditions relating to their sight (I don’t treat the character’s status in an overdramatic fashion, but I just wanted to be clear on this). Stay safe!

What I have planned so far:

+20 chapters (This includes the prologue and epilogue)
+12 romance options (Male, Female, Nonbinary, and Genderfluid)
+Play as male, female, or nonbinary, and have the option to be trans
+Be gay, straight, bi, pan, or ace (All ROs are available to all genders)
+Choose from 10 different possible power sets to play as
+Lots of colorful character customization
+Unique personalities and flavor text to make each playthrough special
+In-game music by yours truly (the first piece is a placeholder cover I did)
+Achievements unlock bonus art!

What's in the demo right now:

+Prologue
+Chapter 1
+Beginning 1/3 scenes of Chapter 2
+Appearance customization
+In-depth selection of clothes ranging in various shades of gray
+Meeting your human friends and over half of the ROs
+Much more lore/explanations

The next update will include:

+Minor error/grammar fixes
+The next few scenes of Chapter 2
+Meeting the rest of the ROs!
+Much more lore/explanations

Romance Options

Varian (Othelius) Halstein- (They/Them)
Possibly the shortest kid in your grade, both in height and in temper, Varian holds the award for the foulest mouth and reddest blushing face. Raised by their faere mother and human father, they are possibly the laziest tervalon-human faerie hybrid in all of California, though perhaps burnout from the pressure of high expectations may be to blame.

Reaching about 5′5″, Varian has pale porcelain skin and honey brown eyes. Their face reddens easily with enough intensity to get them mistaken for a tomato, especially whenever they get flustered. Their dirty blond hair peaks out in tufts from under their dull, teal beanie, which they have never been seen without. They often wear baggy clothing such as hoodies, yoga pants, and plain sneakers, though the price tags can attest to their high quality.

“I just don’t get the point of trying to be the best when there’s only so much for you to lose after. It’s stupid. I was stupid.”

Calypso (Gordana) Holmes- (She/Her)
One of the most popular girls in school, Calypso captivates all that she encounters with her natural charm and contagious laughter. An encantus faerie who is training in the human world, her seemingly effortless allure masks her struggles and frustrations with the role she plays in the grand scheme of things.

Standing at 5′3″, Calypso has light rosy skin covered in a light dusting of freckles and emerald green eyes. Her fiery ruby hair falls down in unruly clumps of curls to the middle of her back. She likes to wear light summer dresses with splashes of color and slim combat boots, even in the winter. She has a lot of pompom related accessories such as hair clips, earrings, and chokers to match her pale pink lipstick.

”I know it’s not much, but just you wait, one day my name will go down in history, and then no one will be able to wave me off.”

Ashley (Ella) Tempest- (She/Her)
The cold, prospective valedictorian of the class, Ashley leads most, if not all of the school’s academic programs through her orderly and authoritative leadership. Taught by both her faere father and human parents, she is a knowledgeable caldras-human faerie hybrid, slow to anger, yet fearsome when pissed off.

Standing at 5′6″, Ashley has warm tawny skin and pale, lavender eyes magnified by retro square glasses with piercings on her left eyebrow. Her onyx dreads, styled into an updo bun, fade into a heather gradient. She dresses smartly with her crisply ironed blouses and high waisted pants closely resembling her usual school uniform. Her plain slip-on flats are equally as minimalist in style, purchased with practicality in mind rather than flare.

”I’m here to work, not to babysit, not to make friends, and definitely not to deal with anyone’s bullshit.”

Raoul (Lark) Kohli- (He/Him)
The beloved star of the school soccer team and resident cute barista at the local pet café, Raoul is an enthusiastic dudebro with a heart of gold. Raised by his purely human moms, he knows very little of the faere world, even as a vitaura-human faerie hybrid, though his natural chemistry with animals proves his legitimacy.

The tallest of the bunch, Raoul is 6′2″ with a toned build due to the many sports he plays. He has rich copper skin, dark brown-bordering black hair styled up, and sky blue eyes with orange flecks. He always seems to be bandaged up and no one knows whether the band-aid atop his nose is for aesthetic reasons or not. He usually dresses casually, wearing tank tops and cargo shorts with flipflops and the occasional pair of… socks.

”Don’t tell anyone, but sometimes I bring my little hamster buddy to school for emotional support.”

Kiyoshi Ichinomiya- (He/Him)
A mischievous illumbris faerie of the stars, Kiyoshi holds a fascination for human society, with their generally independent lives, free to gather and socialize as they please. Though his curiosity for human life makes him seem childish at times, he knows the ins and outs of faere society and is more than what he appears.

Standing at a whopping height of 5′1″, Kiyoshi has warm ivory skin and amethyst eyes. His violet hair falls in loops around his face, with his middle bangs pinned back. Besides his signature unsettling smirks and shit-eating grins, he often wears a patterned hoodie and pair of leggings, along with high top converse. He’s what some may call a fashion disaster when left to his own devices, but he does know how to clean up nicely.

”Oh you human types are so entertaining! You’re one of the most least boring people I’ve ever met, so here’s to it!

Monty (Abelino) Cortez- (He/Him)
The token tired and irritable recluse of the school, Monty seems to run only on Mountain Dew, Doritos, and teenage angst. Though his faere mother and human parent try to encourage him to get out more and explore his florixen-human faere hybrid roots, he is perfectly content to stay at home and tend to his indoor garden, but he didn’t always use to be like this.

Standing at 5′6″, Monty has cool golden skin and half-lidded scarlet eyes. His springy seafoam green hair is tangled and unruly, parting to reveal piercings on his right eyebrow. He often wears leather jackets over graphic shirts and jeans with aesthetic chains along with converse bearing printed sketches of characters. His clip-on earrings and cross necklace are the most expensive, being made out of real gold. Basically, his whole wardrobe is straight out of Hot Topic.

“My thumb has more green in it than your diet, you vitamin C deficient heathen, so just leave me alone and fuck off.”

Wren (Micaela) Vargas- (They/Them)
Possibly the sanest person in the group with a laid-back and positive attitude, Wren is an exchange student from Italy. Raised only by their human siblings for most of their life, they are still learning new things about the faere world as a cryocier-human faerie hybrid, however, they seem to always keep a distance from everyone they know, even their “friends.”

Standing at 5′4″, Wren has cool olive skin and relaxed chocolate eyes. Their caramel hair falls in waves, ending a few centimeters above their shoulders. An advocate for warm lumberjack fashion, they enjoy wearing a plain cotton shirt under a soft, plaid half coat with matching overall straps connecting to their skinny jeans. Their shoes are simple suede ankle boots and their ears hold a few piercings each.

”Sometimes, it’s best to keep your distance. Nothing gained, but nothing lost either… then, no one can really hurt you.

Jordan (Leandre) Sidon- (Genderfluid, leans towards He/Him)
Resident embodiment of chaos incarnate, Jordan is an exchange student from Greece with a concerning passion for arson. While they were raised by their human father, and on occasion, faere father, they don’t care much for their status as a tsunisir-human hybrid, though there may be a reason deeper than a conflict of passion and talent.

Standing at 5′7″, Jordan has sandy beige skin and surprisingly soft cyan eyes. Their messy pale pink hair formed by fluffy curls resembles cotton candy. When presenting as male, it is fairly short, and he always seems to be wearing a crooked smile. When presenting as female, her hair is shoulder length and she favors cherry red lipstick. They often wear a bomber jacket over a plain t-shirt, along with ripped up leggings and fingerless gloves.

”I know I’m a screw-up, but I can’t bring myself to say that this is who I am of all things, I’ve at least got that going for me.”

Nova (Wright) Anderson- (Trans Woman, She/Her)
The free-spirited transfer with a thirst for adventure, Nova’s only wish is to travel the world, both physical and mythical, in search of knowledge and thrilling experiences. Raised by her human parents, Nova is still slightly new to being an exaelios-human faere hybrid, yet something seems to hold her back from truly embracing the unknown like she wishes to.

Standing at 5′8″ with legs for days, Nova has cool honey skin and stormy gray eyes. Her straight navy hair tumbles like a waterfall down to her waist. Occasionally, she’ll also have a half-updo bun. She often sports a matching set of rounded earrings and a choker. Her outfit consists of a beautifully patterned shawl, purchased from a pawn shop, a plain white undershirt tied back in a knot, jeans held up by a matching belt, and heeled boots.

”To feel the grass beneath your feet and the air fill your lungs is to be truly alive, and I won’t let anyone take that away from me.”

Danielle (Tala) Dela Muerta- (Genderfluid, leans towards She/Her)
A… morally ambiguous voice of reason (most of the time), Danielle is a formidable mourninx faerie who knows and is comfortable with their purpose, no matter how taboo others see it as. Though they are not afraid to take pride in the balance they bring to the world, their devotion to their ideals may one day lead them down a dark path if not careful.

Standing at 5′2″, Danielle has golden beige skin and striking fuschia eyes. Their dark ebony hair is neatly kept, pulled away from their face. When presenting as female, it is pulled into a high ponytail held by a flowery scrunchie, falling to her neck. When presenting as male, it is gelled and much shorter but still ends at the neck. They wear hooped earrings, a creamy striped long-sleeve shirt, leggings, and dark brown sandals.

”We are all meant to die, so don’t try to turn my gift into a curse just because you fear the truth that one day you too will fall.”

Jesper (Asclepius) Wong- (He/Him)
A member of the “Snooty Rich Kids” clique, Jesper is critical of others and as slimy as a snake. The more reserved and snarky one of the Wong Twins, he tends to keep to his close friends and refrains from casual socialization. However, he’s a very talented writer and has a way with words.

Standing at 5′3″, Jesper has pale alabaster skin and lime green eyes (achieved through contacts) with white eyelashes. He has longer daisy white hair, with long side-parted bangs that frame his face. He often wears sweater vests and dark pants with polished loafers or any brand-name clothing. His showier clothing is more casual, consisting of sleeveless jackets, long-sleeve shirts, and cargo shorts with tennis shoes.

“People who say English class is boring have clearly never had to turn a poem sideways and look at it like a Rorschach test.”

Lillian (Bastet) Wong-(She/Her)
A member of the “Snooty Rich Kids” clique, Lillian is haughty and catty to say the least. The more sociable and competitive one of the Wong Twins, she enjoys going to school events and expanding her social web. She finds pleasure in sports and anything involving physical exertion.

Standing at 5′7″, Lillian has pale alabaster skin and bright canary yellow eyes with white lashes. She has dyed inky black hair pulled into long, curling twin-tails. When she isn’t wearing one of her many sports uniforms or workout clothes, she models brand-name sweatshirts and short shorts with knee-high socks and converse. She never seems to be without a brace or some sort of cast, and it’s a miracle her body is still holding up.

“Blacktop hockey is a fighting style, and the only targets you need to worry about hitting are your opponents’ shins.”

Other important Characters:

Sebastian (Wilder) Mendall- (Trans Boy, He/Him)
Your next-door neighbor you’ve known since, well, forever. Sebastian is rambunctious to say the least, and always tinkering with something. Quite gifted for his age, he’s eager to prove himself to you. Now, at age 12 and skipping a grade, he attends the middle school right by your high school.

Just barely reaching 4′9″, Sebastian has fair bisque skin and amber eyes. His extremely messy midnight black hair is constantly tousled by his large pair of leather goggles. When he’s not wearing his usual inventing clothes, consisting of long-sleeved shirts with their sleeves rolled up, aprons, thick gloves that reach his elbows, jeans, and boots, he dresses like your average middle schooler. Hoodies and basketball shorts with sneakers are his bread and butter.

“Is it dangerous? Well… yes… but I have the scientific method to protect me so it’ll probably be fine.”

Athena (Tahani) Sayed- (She/Her)
One of your closest friends since late elementary school, Athena knows what she wants and exactly what she needs to do to get it. She’s got a sharp wit and an even sharper eye for filmmaking and acting. But, beneath that thick layer of sass is the dramatic theatre dork you know and love.

Standing at an imposing 6′, Athena has light sienna skin and mauve eyes. She usually wears her signature beige hijab but has a closet full of a wide variety of colors and patterns to choose from. She is often found wearing a light coffee cardigan over a white long-sleeve shirt, matching crisp white jeans held up by a skinny brown belt, and chunky white walking shoes. Her favorite shade of lipstick is dark mahogany.

“Sorry, I can’t hear you plebs over my original copy of Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper.”

Phillip (Aster) Briar- (He/Him)
One of your closest friends since the seventh grade, Phillip is a trendsetter and future beauty guru in training. His judgment in anything that has to do with aesthetics is highly sought after by many hopeful students. When he isn’t being begged for beauty advice, he’s a supportive and dedicated friend.

Standing at 5′10″, Phillip has rich umber skin with light freckles and blue, periwinkle eyes. He has rosy pink dreadlocks styled into a man-bun, but his hair is always constantly changing. While his wardrobe is vast, he likes shirts he can tie up and unbutton, along with high waisted shorts, knee-high socks, and white sneakers. His accessories are equally as unpredictable, though he sports a nose ring and is known for having a lot of rose and angel-themed pieces.

“Split ends can meet my blade-and by blade I mean scissors. Seriously though, let me do your hair.”

Official Author Art/Aesthetics

Varian:



Calypso:


Ashley:


Raoul:


Kiyoshi:


Monty:

Wren:

Jordan:

Nova:

Danielle:

Jesper:

Lillian:

Sebastian:


Athena:

Phillip:

Etc.:

Links
The Official UtCBG Tumblr
Play the Demo
YouTube Channel

459 Likes

Wow! Really interested so far, although the firstname error arrived… I think I’m gonna wanna bookmark this thread :joy:

1 Like

haha whoops! Sorry about that, I had to go back and change some variables, but hopefully it’s fixed now. Tell me if it isn’t!

It’s working now!

Hey there! I liked the wip (the stats menu looks amazing!) and dang, I know it was asked if I wanted music or not but it still caught me by surprise. It just… I was awed. I’m pretty sure I couldn’t read the whole scene properly because my reasoning was muddled by that beautiful piano. It was really fitting, I think, but not a lot of games do that.

Here are some bugs and thingies I found (one of them is about a missing variable which doesn’t let me set my name and keep playing, but that was already commented about)

Summary

20200112_224648 “Silence finally came” is missing a period.


I’m aware now that this was a memory, but I think it’s not well established to be so (or maybe I’m distracted), and I just assumed she got into my room and this was normal. I also thought my mom was calling me Baby and being really kind, which for some reason made me distrust mom (tho, that’s probably my fault :sweat_smile:)


I’m… not blind, but I think it’s ok if you write “you walk back to your room”. From what I know, people who have sight issues are really good at pacing around a place they live in or spend a lot of time with. So… I think they wouldn’t need to “feel” their way this much, unless they lost their sight not that long ago, or still felt shaken?

20200112_224729
That’s a mood.


I’m all in for customization, but this is a bit… I have no idea what’s the difference between ash and stone… maybe make customization an option? That’s an opinion tho.


I think hair can’t be “naturally braided”.

6 Likes

good story wish you luck on it

I think I’m gonna pay attention to this wip. It’s going to be good! Would like to point out though,

Thanks for the feedback, it’s very much appreciated!
+I’m currently reworking some transitions into the memories and I’ll make sure to emphasize the mother singing lol
+Yeah, that walking back part was when I had just started feeling out how to write for mc, so I get where you’re coming from, I’ll make sure to remove that!
+I’ll crack down on those colors and maybe just put three options (I tend to get carried away with customization haha)
+As for the braids, I think I meant to put dreadlocks instead, and I’ll take out the “naturally” part to get rid of any complications

10 Likes

This one seemed really cool honestly. I can’t recall ever playing a game with a blind protagonist so I’m interested to see where you take it. Also, the custom music really helped draw me into the scenes! I’ll be sure to follow this one eagerly!

1 Like

Sideglances the incredibly detailed bathroom tiles customization choice You don’t say? :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

No, but really, I wish I had half of your love for descriptions of daily things. It’s really cool to be able to choose if I hear dogs or feel the stones or plants instead. Btw, Sebastian is now my younger brother and I’ll protect him from any and all harm. Poor excitable boi. I’ll keep an eye out for your wip, I like the idea, so best of luck!

6 Likes

Oh, I actually kinda adore this? I’ve never seen a WIP with a blind protagonist before, and your writing style and the amount of choices, esp for personality is :ok_hand:. Please tell me we can keep Sebastian? He’s so cute, I kind of want to adopt him lol

6 Likes

This was really fun for me to read and can’t wait to see more. :grin: :metal:

12 romance options? Holy crap, that’s wild! I applaud your commitment to offering a variety of options. All I can say is, please be careful not to wear yourself out. :slight_smile:

12 Likes

Interesting read so far. Love the concept of being blind. Cannot wait to see where this goes.

This seems very interesting! Can’t wait to see where it goes next.

2 Likes

Another WIP for me to bookmark.

Ah shit, here go again…

I can honestly say my curiosity hit a solid 8/10 with the first page of the prologue alone.
Can’t wait to see where this WIP goes!

14 Likes

This is really good so far. Good luck!

Wow haven’t been this early for a WIP in a long time. I like it so far and this reminds me i haven’t spoken to my blind relatives in quite a while. Weird that i have more than one

10 different power sets;
You got my attention. I cant wait to try out all the combinations

2 Likes

I like what I have read so far, although my curiosity got the best of in wondering what the accident that caused the blindness was.

2 Likes