Windmere Academy (for Masters and Their Familiars) (WIP, updated 2/25/23)

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You’re stressing about far more than just your studies at Windmere Academy for Masters and Their Familiars when students’ magical companions begin to go rogue—and it isn’t exactly a piece of cake to get to the bottom of things when it seems everybody and their dragon is trying to stop you.

Demo (~37k words)

Changelog (2/25/23)

Combined notes from 2/22/23 and 2/25/23!

Ch.1:

  • Changed Male Kiyo’s name to Kiyoshi (thank you, commenter!)—Female Kiyo remains unchanged (Kiyoko). May be a few small coding errors, please let me know if you catch any weird symbols!
  • Grammar and wording.

Ch. 2:

  • Made Carris more bearable. (I forgot to fix his roomie introduction, too. Done now!)
  • Added more neutral-polite choices. Sorry about that! I want to make sure you always feel like there’s a choice for what you wanted to say. If you catch any more instances of NOT having those options, please let me know.
  • Stat gains complete now! And character bond gains have also been adjusted.
  • Grammar and wording.

I’ve been thinking about revamping the personality system, though it might be a secondary priority (the first being actual new story content.) I’ll update as I make decisions!

Features
  • Solve the mystery of Windmere Academy for Masters and Their Familiars! Will you do it to save your peers, or to uncover your own past? Alone, or with the help of trusted allies?
  • Customize your appearance and personality to your liking!
  • Encounter all the mythical creature companions that inhabit Aezolon, from the fiery phoenix to the bewitching basilisk!
  • Discover hidden power within you! Harness your unique ability to hear the voices of those previously thought speechless… Will you keep it a secret, or share it with your friends?
  • Romance a bubbly kitsune with hidden insecurities! Pursue a charming elf prince ashamed of his royal blood! Court a prim and proper aristocrat secretly crumbling under the pressure! Or find love with a fairy that distracts herself from her own loneliness with books!
  • Take the reins in your romantic endeavors, or allow them to make the first move!
  • And more as it comes!
Feedback

I’m always looking for feedback of any sort, but for example, if you have concerns such as…

There was a typo/formatting error/some strange grammar here.
There wasn’t any choice I liked here. Could we add the option to [suggestion]?
The story felt as if it flowed poorly at [section].
[Character] feels a little unlikable. Maybe if they did/didn’t do [insert thing here].
[Story element] was vague or difficult to understand. Could it be explained a little better?

…please feel free to leave them in the replies. But also, absolutely anything else you could think of!

Windmere Academy is a comedy/mystery/fantasy/romance/what have you! You play as an MC just recently having come of age, attending an academy where other students come to summon magical creature companions called familiars and learn to harness their power. There are four RO’s, all with their own stories to explore and influence, and there will be a good amount of focus on your relationships with them.

I am writing this passion project amidst other life things, so though I hope to update as frequently as possible, new chapters may be spaced! I also apologize for the inevitable grammatical (or otherwise) errors. I am quite the amateur, and I would very much appreciate feedback of any sort, as I really want to improve to create the best possible experience for all of you. If you’d like to, please don’t hesitate to let me know any thoughts, criticisms, comments, questions, suggestions…you name it!

I was inspired by such games as Tally Ho, Wayhaven, A Player’s Heart, and many, many more. I’d like to thank these wonderful authors for doing what they do. I could never hope to be quite so skilled, but I sure can try!

Lastly, thank you so much for reading. It truly means the world to me. I really hope you enjoy!

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Damn you when you’re cliffhanger good job this this looks like a very good story to read In the beginning you really hit me in the heart

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Like the story so far. It will be interesting to see what happens if or when we meet or birth parents. Doing a good job , very interesting.

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Will we be able to have a familiar or it is one of those tropes where we are the odd one without a familiar😂

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I really like it so far! I love the characters, and it’s really well written. I’m definitely going to keep an eye on this one.

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I’m honored!!! I hope I can continue to be even better, thank you so much for reading!!

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Thank you so so much for reading, ahh that means so much to me!!

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…No comment! Jokes aside, I’ll be modifying the story to accommodate feedback and make it as enjoyable to play as possible, so I’m not quite sure yet. But I hope you’ll stick around! Thank you so much for taking the time to read :smile:

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Ahhh goodness that means so so much to me, thank you so very much for reading and for your kind words!! I hope I can deliver!

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I like it allot and will definitely be keeping an eye on this one. The story seems solid and the opening so far has flowed well and done a good job of setting up the MC. Good Job. :+1:

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Me, while reading: “Hang on, why does this seem so familiar? (Hehe) But at the same time not familar?”

Then I checked your profile, and hey, you made Keys! I loved that story, way back then.

Is this Keys redux? Can I finally cross it out of my dead WIPs list? Or is it like a spinoff set in the same universe or smth?

Either way, loving this so far!

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Nice cliffhanger. Can’t wait to play more

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IF we’re going to have a familiar, and IF you’re taking requests, I’d like a hydra. I mean, look at how snuggly they are:

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Oh my! I did NOT expect to find a Keys fan this many years later! Thank you for sticking by me for so long!

Yes, this is a revival of sorts, but I changed so much that it may as well be an entirely new story with some of the same names. You can for sure cross it off! I hope to finish this once and for all!

And thank you so much again. Wow, that’s so cool!! It’s so strange and also so exciting to find an old reader. Thank you sincerely!

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Thank you so so much!! :smile:

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Oh they’re adorable. If it’s any consolation, firstly I will always take requests of any sort, secondly, they are indeed a familiar in this world! Along with basilisks. If it becomes a common question, I have a list in my impossibly messy world-building note of possible species for familiars as well as hybrids that I’d be glad to publish somewhere.

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Yessssssssss, multi-headed immortal deadly-venomous snake of snuggles for the win.

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Something I’d enjoy would be a familiar that could speak. I don’t know if you have plans for anything like sprites or pixies, but that would really appeal to me if the mc/familiar relationship is one of equals rather than an owner/pet situation. A mystical connection between peers would be great, and having another friend who could communicate their wants and needs, likes and dislikes, feels better to me than having a powerful pet would.

Probably also more difficult to write, though, as it would require full characterization.

Just a thought. :blush:

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Without spoiling too much, I hope you’ll be very pleased with what I have planned for the rest of the story then! I have always loved that as well, though. I think in this world, familiars are very much companions for life more than pets or objects. Though I suppose there is no stopping those who choose to treat them that way, it’s definitely uncommon as well as generally frowned upon. You’ll see many treat their familiars as their best friends and closest confidants; for lack of a better comparison, perhaps think How To Train Your Dragon? (also a franchise I absolutely adore and probably unconsciously drew inspiration from)

I’m just rambling now, but your insight is truly delightful. Thank you so much for taking the time!!!

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I love what we got so far. I love that you get little details like the nicknames for the preset names of the game (usually the name of my MCs are always Morgan, but I really like the name Rosalind).

And Kiyoko is so cute. I always fall for the friends to lovers trope. Right now I’m playing Dairoku: Agents of Sakuratani and can’t take off my Head that Kiyoko is exactly like Shiratsuki :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

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