Hello, I’m Whizumi [she/her], and I’ve finally got the courage to post the demo I’ve been working on for a while now.
Genres: romance, modern-fantasy, supernatural, mystery, dark-fantasy.
Summary: You are a detective, tasked with investigating mysterious murders that have taken place in your normally quiet and peaceful hometown, Fallenmor.
With two victims confirmed already, the initial one being your former mentor, Detective Bergmann, the situation couldn’t seem more dire. Or so you thought until you received the news of another body, a possible third victim, discovered at the police station. In your very own office.
An accident, a mere coincidence, a straightforward warning, a looming threat, or something entirely else… Whatever is happening, you feel it affecting you, awakening something both significantly familiar and distinctly foreign inside of you.
If only you knew that this was just the beginning… Things could have been different.
But back then, in your ignorance, your singular concern lay with a pressing question: if you failed to find the murderer, who would become the next victim?
About
Sanguine Sky is a work-in-progress modern dark-fantasy interactive novel. The story is heavily focused on romance, characters, and relationships.
The story is for mature audiences only and contains distressing content that may be triggering for certain individuals. Reading the list of warnings before proceeding to the story is highly recommended. Please exercise caution and take care of yourself.
Features
- Play as male, female, non-binary or trans; straight, gay, or bisexual.
- Customize your appearance and shape your personality.
- Take on the role of a detective, immerse yourself in the work of the police station.
- Embrace the mystery of your existence, or reject that inner sight of you.
- Seven romance options to choose from. Select their gender, be shy or bold, or focus on your goal without pursuing anyone.
ROs
All ROs are player-sexual and gender-selectable [M/F].
Kyle / Keira Moreno
Your colleague, a police inspector, and one of the rudest people you have ever met. Sharp and stern, K is surprisingly perceptive, and they use it to really see you. The good, the bad. Everything.
Appearance: icy blue eyes, dark red hair, very pale skin.
Alexis 'Lex / Lexie' Conlan
Your best friend, and also your former partner from times when you were just a patrol officer. With a heart of gold and an approachable attitude, L always chooses you over the others.
Appearance: forest green eyes, copper hair, beige freckled skin.
Morgan Schoivell
Your other colleague, a highly-skilled lab technician. M is rather reserved when it comes to emotions, and after almost a year of working together, M is still a walking mystery for you.
Appearance: dark brown eyes, ash blonde hair, light skin.
Roderick / Rebecca Reyes
The commanding agent of the Criminal Investigative Division (CID) Team sent to catch the killer. Overbearing and ruthless, R has their own way of getting things done.
Appearance: gray eyes, blonde hair, pale skin.
Theodore 'Theo' / Theresa 'Tess' Vazquez
Another member of the CID team. With a cocky smile, T is full of flirts and sneering comments, regardless of the occasion. T has no doubts about what they want and isn’t afraid to vocalize it.
Appearance: dark green eyes, black curly hair, rich brown skin.
Isaac / Iris Brailsford
I looks the most mature and approachable of CID’s fellow agents. Looks can be deceiving, though. Working behind the scene and watching from afar, I carries all the scars within.
Appearance: hazel eyes, dark brown hair, olive skin.
Sebastian / Selena Goldstein
Someone new and temporary, S has a velvety voice and a perfect smile that doesn’t reach their eyes. You’re not sure if your paths will cross in the future, but something tells you S can’t be trusted.
Appearance: black eyes, long black wavy hair, bronze skin.
More information will be revealed after all the RO’s are introduced in the story (chapter 2).
Other characters
Your twin-sister: Your sweet, kind, caring, and gentle twin sister. She always tries to be there for you, and show how much she appreciates you, no matter what.
Chief of Police, Kendrick Nash: Your boss, who is not handling his job so well after the recent death of his husband, Klemens Bergmann.
Detective Klemens Bergmann: Police chief’s husband, who happened to be a senior detective and your mentor. He was the first victim, murdered under mysterious circumstances.
Romance system
[This information can also be found on the demo’s stats page.]
In the game, the romance system dynamically changes the narrative based on your interactions and choices.
This section is lengthy, but it thoroughly explains every aspect and detail of the romance system.
Romance & Approval:
▸ You can play as straight, gay, bi, or disable romance altogether.
▸ There are seven routes and one special, solo route.
▸ All the ROs are player-sexual [always attracted to the MC, regardless of the MC’s gender or sexual orientation].
▸ There are no restrictions in the game that prevent you from romancing any RO [if their gender matches your MC’s preferences].
▸ The approval system does not affect the ability to romance, even with negative value. It changes the dynamics of communication at some points differently for each RO. An example of how the approval system works can be found in the Additional Info section or on the demo’s stats page.
Important note: if the gender of any RO doesn’t match your MC’s preferences, they won’t pursue your MC romantically and the flirt options will become unavailable.
The same applies if you select the special option labeled [block] that blocks romance even if their gender matches your MC’s preferences.
Flirting Options & Dynamics:
▸ When interacting with the ROs, if their gender matches your MC’s preferences, two [or three for T] flirt options [
] will be available.
▸ The top choice sets a bold dynamic.
▸ The lower choice sets a shy dynamic.
▸ These dynamics adjust the RO’s behavior to match your MC’s preferences, either letting the RO take the initiative or allowing the MC to lead.
All the ROs are able to adjust to MC’s preferences, except for male R who is always dominant [even if you choose bold flirt options].
[To learn more about unique dynamics (e.g. T), scroll to the “Extra Info ” section.]
Romance Points:
▸ Choosing a flirt option [except T’s third option] earns you romance points.
▸ Romance points unlock specific narrative changes, affecting the RO’s interactions with the MC and triggering jealousy among all the ROs.
In most cases, the required number of romance points needed to unlock specific narrative changes will be minimal [depending on the RO].
Changes first begin in Chapter 2, where romance points and set dynamic often alter the narrative at certain points [1-2 romance points are required to activate these changes].
Starting from Chapter 3:
▸ 2-4 romance points with the RO will be enough for the narrative to reflect the attraction between the MC and the RO.
▸ 1-3 romance points with any RO will be enough for the narrative to trigger jealousy among all the ROs.
You don’t have to choose the flirt option every time if you don’t feel like it. But there are moments in the game where a certain number of points will be necessary to activate special scenes or moments of jealousy.
Important note: It is possible to not select the flirt option and, having 0 romance points, still lock in the RO’s route [check out the romance progression section].
However, if you don’t have romance points with the RO(s), the narrative will not reflect any moment of attraction between them and the MC.
Romance Progression & Jealousy:
▸ In Chapters 1 and 2, you can flirt with everyone, since they have been structured as introductory with all the ROs.
▸ Starting from Chapter 2, you will encounter moments of jealousy from the ROs and [optionally] from the MCs.
▸ Starting from Chapter 3, you will have to choose only one RO to spend time with during certain points in the story, and it is recommended to focus on just one RO to avoid missing important content with them.
▸ Romance points gained in Chapters 1 and 2 will influence moments of jealousy in the following chapters as well.
The final RO choice will likely be at the end of Chapter 5 [If that changes, I’ll update this post and let you know about it] and will depend on which RO your MC spent the most time with.
Interactions with the ROs:
In the game, saying no, having a negative approval value, or pushing the RO away doesn’t necessarily terminate the possibility of romancing them.
Some ROs won’t be nice to the MC, and the MC will have an opportunity to respond in kind if they feel that way, without blocking the RO’s route because of it.
However, there are choices in the game where choosing an overly negative option will prevent the romantic scene from continuing.
Such options marked with [×] signify the end of a romantic moment or scene. All other options can lead to a romantic interaction, even if it’s not immediately obvious. Example:
Choice 1: Push them away. [This choice may lead to the continuation of a moment or scene.]
Choice 2: [×] Push them away. [This choice leads to the end of a moment or scene.]
As long as the option isn’t marked with [×], please don’t hesitate to make choices that resonate with you, or with the personality you envision for your MC.
Keep in mind that making choices that obviously go against the RO’s vision will impact the dynamics of the relationship.
In special cases, the game may suggest canceling the route if the approval is too low, but this will be your MC’s decision, not the RO’s.
Important Romance Aspects:
▸ Regardless of the set dynamic, the ROs may and will initiate touches without the MC’s permission [if you pursue a romance with them].
▸ There are no polyamorous routes and there never will be, as all the ROs experience jealousy.
▸ Jealousy is an important part of the game and will remain so until the end of the story.
▸ There are no platonic routes, but the game includes an option to choose a best friend, which will depend on approval regardless of the route chosen.
▸ Sex scenes are optional, but all the ROs can experience sexual attraction to the MC. This isn’t align with the asexual relationships, potentially making the romance uncomfortable for readers seeking that experience [especially in T’s and S’ routes].
If any of the above can make you feel uncomfortable, this game may not be for you. Please exercise caution and take care of yourself.
Extra Info:
Each ROs route has their own theme, but there are certain unique dynamics that are structured in a particular way:
▸ Unique Dynamics with L: ability to establish a predetermined feelings for L.
▸ Unique Dynamic with T: third flirt option that sets a unique dynamic other than bold and shy.
▸ Established Rivalries: an open confrontation between two specific ROs that activates if the MC makes the required choices and selects the defined order of actions.
▸ Secondary Rivals: minor characters who can figure as a cause for jealousy for both the MC and the ROs.
For a detailed overview of each of the unique dynamics, please check the demo’s stats page.
Thank you for your interest!
Additional info
Q: Will there be a polyamorous/triangle route?
A: No.
Q: How does romance work in the game? Are there any restrictions?
A: Please check the Romance System section above.
Q: Does the main character have a set personality?
A: No, your character’s personality will be determined by your choices with stats. Other characters will pay attention to and comment on your personality.
Q: Are there other things in the story that are predetermined in advance?
A: The first is your position as a detective. The second is your relationship with your sister. You will be able to change it later if you want to.
Q: What about the stats?
A: All stats in the game serve to change the narrative according to the decisions you make in the story. There is no “failure” mechanic in the story, and there never will be.
There are no relationship stats for the ROs in the game, instead, each of them has romance and approval (friendship for L) points.
Q: How does the approval system work?
A: The approval system serves as an indicator of how closely your MC’s personality and decisions align with the personality of the RO.
Having a negative value doesn’t imply it’s bad. Example:
At high approval, T: “The detective is so funny, and it’s so sexy that I find it hard to control myself around them…”
With low or negative approval, T: “The detective is so uptight… I have a method or two to help them relieve the tension.”
As you can see, both options are different, but neither one is bad.
Not all of the ROs are strongly dependent on approval and not every interaction will be built on such a system, but sometimes some parts will change because of it.
Q: Is this going to be a series or a standalone book?
A: The story is planned as a standalone book, but I’m open to the idea of “splitting” the story if it starts to feel too big for one book.
Content warning
The story contains references/detailed descriptions of: depression, violence, frightening scenes, blood, gore, death, nightmares, strong language, optional sexual situations/sexual content, illegal substances, dissociation/dissociative episodes.
A full list of warnings is available in the demo before the beginning of the story.
Update log
17/12/23: “Prologue” + “Chapter 1” posted.
30/12/23: “Chapter 2 sneak peek” added.
01/02/24: Chapter 2 Pt. 1 [Patreon] posted.
24/02/24: Chapter 2 Pt. 1 posted.
14/04/24: Chapter 2 Pt. 2 [Patreon] posted.
11/05/24: Chapter 2 Pt. 2 posted.
07/09/24: Chapter 3 Pt. 1 [Patreon] posted.
Next update
Сhapter 3 will be split into 2 parts and published on Patreon first.
My drafts are finished up to chapter 5 (RO lock for the rest of the book), but I still have to translate, code, and polish them, so the updates won’t be quick.
Feedback
There are two important things I should note first:
- This is my first interactive novel.
- English is not my first language.
Although I’m trying my best, I understand that lack of experience and not knowing the language well enough can make things worse. It would help me a lot to have your feedback pointed towards:
- Grammatical and coding errors.
- Text “fluency” or “readability.” (As I mentioned, English is not my first language.)
You can anonymously send your feedback using this form.
Word count [Public DEMO]: 96k words [excl. code]
Word count [Patreon DEMO]: 180k words [excl. code]
Total word count [Public DEMO]: 116k words
DEMO: here.
Tumblr: here.
Patreon: here.
Ko-Fi: here.
Thank you for your interest!
