The Kingdom of Thestria is ruled by one of the most tyrannical leaders in its recorded history, a man known to his people as The Iron King. You just know him as Father. Rebels grow in number daily, destabilizing the kingdom and tempting foreign invasion, while disgruntled nobles threaten civil war. With your coming-of-age ceremony just around the corner, everyone wants something from you, the only heir to the throne. Will you help your father crush the uprisings for good, band with the rebels, usurp the throne for yourself, or abandon it all for your own dreams?
Features
- Play as a prince or a princess
- Crush the rebels, join them, usurp the throne, or abandon it all to pursue your own dreams
- Romance a prince, a princess, a maidservant, a guardsman, a noble, or no one at all
- Bribe, threaten, charm, reason, or fight your way to your goals
- Be careful: your decisions will determine not only your fate, but that of an entire kingdom.
About the Author
Hi, I’m Holly, I studied writing at the University of Victoria and have been freelancing for years now. About a year ago I started getting more serious about writing fiction specifically. I specialize in speculative, clean fiction and have a few short stories coming out this year (one was published just today actually, more info in link at bottom).
I’ve pretty much always been obsessed with video games and have enjoyed CoG games for the last few years. I’m really excited to finally dive into my own CS project, but I’m super new to this so be gentle please 
I’m actually working on this game in collaboration with some of the folks at Silence & Starsong magazine, more authors may be added to the “by” line as time goes on.
Content Warnings
Violence (not super graphic), an abusive father, optional forced relationships players can attempt to use their power to coerce an RO, culminating in an attempted rape later on, but this is (a) completely optional and easily avoidable, (b) will not be in any way glorified, and (c) will not be graphic or successful.
Romance Options
All romances in this game are heterosexual and low spice. You start the game betrothed, but there’s no rule that you have to go through with it, or that you have to romance anyone at all
Connor (female PC’s betrothed): the noble prince. You’re expected to marry him, but ultimately the choice is yours. Beyond the political advantages of such a union, he’s a kind and caring man who genuinely wants what’s best for both your kingdoms, and he may prove to be more cunning than he first appears.
Nora (male PC’s betrothed): You’re expected to marry her, but ultimately the choice is yours. But it may not be a bad option. On first appearances, she’s everything you’d expect from a princess—polite, beautiful, and graceful—but there’s a lot more to her than meets the eye. She fights fiercely for those she cares about and possesses a keen mind and a great deal of wisdom.
Garrett: your loyal guardsman. You grew up with him and know that he would die for you in a heartbeat, but is it just duty that binds you, or something more? He’s a strong and capable warrior, but with a surprising depth that he shows only to a few. Such a romance would, of course, be strictly forbidden, but you’re a princess—can’t you do what you want?
Mirabel: the feisty maidservant. You grew up with her at your side and she knows you perhaps better than anyone else. She goes about her duties obediently, but anyone with eyes can tell there’s a fire brewing in her heart. But your difference in station isn’t the only thing keeping you apart—Mirabel has a secret, one that she won’t share with just anyone. Is your love enough to hold you together despite everything against you?
Lady Evangeline: the cunning and seductive noblewoman. She knows everything about everyone and knows how to best make use of that information. A dangerous enemy and a powerful ally, she is sure to keep you on your toes. You may be betrothed to another, but Evangeline has never been one to follow the rules. With her at your side, what won’t you be able to accomplish?
More coming soon, at least one male noble. I’m open to ideas.
Progress Report
Currently, the IKH is 1 Chapter (19k) words long, with an estimated 10 chapters planned. This draft is extremely rough. Once I work out some bugs and get a general sense of player expectations, I intend to polish the sometimes cringy prose and begin work on Chapter 2.
My original intention was to publish a chapter every month, but due to complicating life circumstances (I got pregnant and need to sleep like 1-3 hours extra a night while raising a toddler ) it’ll likely be more like every three months.
Next steps:
- Clean up dock scene, with attention to logistical issues and lack of player agency
- Continue refining Ch 1 prose
Changelog
1.04 (April 16, 2025)
- Fixed: Nora addressing male PC as Connor
- Partially updated flight scene
1.03 (April 10, 2025)
- Expanded introduction scene with Connor/Nora
- Fixed assorted typos
1.02 (April 7, 2025)
- Expanded carriage scene
1.01 (March 28, 2025)
- Fixed error after meeting Nora
- Fixed assorted typos
Feedback Requests
High-level feedback:
- What do you think of the characters?
- What would you like to see more of? Less of?
- What choices do you wish you were able to make but couldn’t?
- What direction do you hope this game takes?
- What are the strongest and weakest points of the game thus far?
- How likely would you be to play the next chapter?
Low-level feedback:
- Are there any glitches or continuity errors?
- Feel free to point out typos, but at this time I’m hoping to overhaul much of the prose anyway
I’m very new to CS, so no advice is too obvious 
Polls for funsies
Who are you playing?
- Prince
- Princess
Who are you romancing?
- Garrett
- Mirabel
- Connor
- Nora
- Evangeline
- Waiting for now
- Nobody
What kind of ruler will you be?
- Rebel sympathizer
- Tyrant king/queen
- Diplomatic prodigy (maybe everyone can get along???)
- The kind that’s enjoying a tropical cruise instead of leading a country
- The dead kind (let’s be real, this is a dangerous game)
- Something else? (please share!)
Important Links
Demo
Feedback Form
Author Info
