(WIP) When the Stars Aligned [Medieval Fantasy] [Updated: Aug 2025]

[Keira]

Greetings to all!

When the Stars Aligned is a medieval fantasy interactive novel.

• Play as male, female or non-binary.
• Build your character’s attributes to dynamically shape combat style, lean towards martial, magic or a blend of both
• Take on the role of a carefully chosen protector sworn to guard one of the kingdom’s royal bloodlines.
• Uncover the truth behind a series of mysterious deaths threatening the realm, alongside a diverse cast of allies.
• Experience a nuanced relationship system where you can forge sizzling passions fraught with fragile understanding, develop friendships teetering on the edge of romance, and many more complex bonds.
• Encounter dream sequences that at first seem disconnected from the present but gradually reveal a hidden puzzle tied to the kingdom’s fate.

I would greatly appreciate your help in identifying any bugs, narrative inconsistencies, or areas that could benefit from improvement. Constructive feedback and comments are always welcome.

If convenient, do post a screenshot of your stats distribution (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Willpower, and Charisma) at the end of your playthrough.

Thank you for playing!

Link to the demo: When the Stars Aligned (update: August 2025)

How do you usually build your MC’s stats?

• A more balanced build. I try to keep my MC well-rounded across different stats.
• A more specialised build. I focus on boosting specific stat(s) that suit(s) my preferred playstyle.

Update 1: June 2025

I am still working on refining the relationship stat system, so your thoughts on how these connections develop would be especially helpful.

For now, the update focuses on introducing the various characters and helping you shape your own, as well. Not all members of your investigation team have appeared yet. Their arrival will come in the next update.

Update 2: August 2025

Two new ROs are introduced: Dominic and Selene.

The update also covers the council chamber scene, first introduced at the conclusion of the previous update. Here, players will witness escalating tensions among the nobles as they confront a series of recent, unexplained deaths that have occurred within a matter of days.

Finally, the update features a new dream sequence, designed to provide deeper insight into the enigmatic figures who continue to appear in the protagonist’s dreams.

[BabyBunny]

Oooh good stuff! This is the first time I see affection and friendship stats are in different categories, which interest me. I see that the personality of the MC already predetermined, but that’s not really a problem for me as long as the story itself is great. If I may ask: how many chapters are you planning to add? Because I’m intrigued by your stuff already!

By the way, in the stats page, Princess Emilia are displayed as “Prince Emilia”. I assume that’s a typo or something, so might as well tell you. May you have fun writing

[Sabrewolf]

This sounds very interesting.

Be keeping an eye out.

[Keira]

@BabyBunny Thank you so much for the kind words! I’m really glad you noticed the separate affection and friendship stats. I thought it would be interesting to explore how different kinds of bonds develop over time, not just romantic ones.

You’re also quite sharp to pick up on the MC having a bit of a predetermined personality. As I was writing, I consider building a general backbone for the main character to give the narrative some structure and voice. Then, as the stats evolve, so will the flavour of the text (in later chapters). For instance, the way the MC reacts to situations or perceives the world around them will shift depending on which traits grow stronger. So even though their core identity is somewhat set, their mindset and behaviour down the line will be influenced by your choices.

Certain stats might even unlock unique scenes, like slight variations of the library scene with Bart, depending on what you’ve prioritised.

That said, I totally agree that the degree of control over things like tone, for instance whether the MC is snappy, mellow, etc, isn’t super wide. That’s something for me to keep in mind.

As for the overall structure, I’m currently planning around 7 chapters in total. Later ones, especially once the investigation really gets going, might end up being a bit longer, depending on how the story develops.

And thank you so much for catching the typo with Princess Emilia! Definitely a slip-up on my part — I’ll get that fixed right away.

I really appreciate the thoughtful feedback, and it makes me happy to know you’re already intrigued by the story!

Thanks again for reading and taking the time to comment!

@Sabrewolf Thank you! I’m glad it caught your interest. Definitely keep an eye out, there’s plenty more coming your way!

[Dragomer]

I’m always a sucker for fantasy stories and being a magic knight is always fun.

[Queen_Zelda]

Oh, what an intriguing story, I love it. The characters are very lovely (especially the prince hehe ) and the dream is so interesting, I’m curious who are the children in the dream are.
I’m looking forward to more

[Keira]

@Dragomer I’m really glad to hear you’re into magic knight stories. Since you mentioned, if you’ve had a go at the demo, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the duel system — like the friendly match with the prince or the shadow beast practice (which is more of a sneak peek at how stats will matter in real duels down the line) .

@Queen_Zelda Aww, thank you so much! I’m really happy to hear it has piqued your interest. I believe the prince would be quietly pleased to know he has caught your attention As for the dream and the children, all I can say is they are small glimpses that will slowly uncover the bigger picture. Stay tuned!

[Dragomer]

I didn’t see the friendly match but I liked the Shadow Beast practice. I don’t have much to say on the mechanical side of it since it seems fairly classic but I really liked how the fights were written and how each options is a different way of mixing magic and might rather than the classic ‘Use Might, Use Magic or Use Both’ trio of options.

[Geralt]

Great start. I really look forward to more. I also like that friendship and romance stats were separated.

[Keira]

@Dragomer Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the Shadow Beast practice fight scenes. It’s great to hear that the mix of magic and might in the options worked for you.

[Keira]

@Geralt Thank you! It’s great to hear that the separate friendship and romance stats stood out to you. I thought it would be an interesting way to explore different types of relationships as the story progresses, depending on the choices one makes.

[Valixon]

@Keira enjoyed what we have so far and looking forward to seeing how things progress.

[Geralt]

I think it leaves open options for realism. Ever had that friend that you know, deep down, would be a perfect match. Or been in a relationship that was passionate, but you kind of despised them as a person? Not saying any of the ROs currently available fit that mold, but I kind of hope there’s at least one that IS like one of those.

[Keira]

@Valixon Thank you so much! Your motivating words mean a lot and they really help keep me going, especially when I’m in the midst of working through all the coding and branching chaos . I’m really glad you’re enjoying what’s been shared so far, and I hope you’ll continue to enjoy the journey as it unfolds!

@Geralt Wow, what an insightful comment! You’ve genuinely given me something to reflect on as I continue writing the rest of the story.

That said, I want to be honest. While I love the nuance you described, like knowing someone would be a perfect match but just not feeling that spark yet, or being in a relationship full of passion but lacking true understanding and/or respect, I cannot promise that any of the current romance routes will unfold exactly in that way. I tend to follow where the pen takes me.

However, I’ve to say that your perspective has definitely given me fruits for thoughts and made me more aware of the potential, and it is something I will be keeping in mind. In fact, in the upcoming update, there may or may not be a character who touches on that “intensity without stability” theme. I am still working through his route, so I cannot say for certain if it will develop along those lines, but your comment has made me consider the possibility more carefully as I write.

As for your comment about a friend who might be the perfect match, if you are playing as a female character and manages to have a friendly duel with him, you may or may not come to realise that Prince Eric harbours certain feelings - depending on your choices - for you beneath his quiet, reserved exterior. Whether or not you choose to return those feelings is entirely up to you. The background I have for Eric, when I wrote him, is that he has known you since you were young. After all, you have been frequenting the palace for lessons with Princess Emilia, so he might have been noticing you all along. However, given his responsibilities, reserved nature and the way he speaks to you, there is still some distance between the two of you. So I am not quite sure it fits the “friend you know deep down is a perfect match” scenario exactly, but depending on your choices, it might come close as the story progresses.

Also, I would love to hear your thoughts about something I’ve been mulling over myself: should the friendship and romance stats reflect how you, as the player character, feel or how the RO perceives the relationship? After all, how you view a bond may not reflect how your RO sees it, and that disconnect could be something meaningful to explore as well.

If anyone else has thoughts on this, I would genuinely love to hear them too.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts. They have given me a lot to think about.

[Geralt]

I’d like to perhaps propose a third stat regarding ROs, perhaps to reflect the ROs level of affection for the MC, perhaps even a hidden stat, because do any of us truly KNOW how someone else feels. Thanks for taking the time to address the fans directly. Your story has real potential. Cheers

[No_This_Is_Patrick]

Can the Princess have feelings for you?

[Keira]

@Geralt Thank you so much for your suggestion! I really like your idea of a hidden stat to reflect how an RO feels about the MC. You put it perfectly: sometimes we never truly know how someone else feels, and that kind of ambiguity can add so much emotional depth and realism to the story.

I’m definitely going to consider how to adapt this idea into a future update, as long as it fits smoothly with the rest of the story structure. And thank you as well for your kind words about the story’s potential! It’s valuable feedback from you all that helps it grow into something more immersive and engaging.

[Keira]

@No_This_Is_Patrick If you’re asking whether Princess Emilia is a romance option, the answer is a definite yes!

If you’re wondering whether she harbours feelings for the MC the way Prince Eric might, I’d say she probably hasn’t truly considered that herself yet. But your question is definitely something she would find worth pondering.

At present, she sees the MC as someone she feels very safe and comfortable with, someone she openly shares her thoughts and feelings with. You could call it a close confidante, or a bond deeper than typical friendship, but not quite yet at the stage of romantic love.

The difference between her and Prince Eric is that Eric harbours certain feelings for the MC beneath his reserved exterior, but this applies only if you are playing as a female character. He is consciously aware of these feelings and how he views you. For male MCs, Eric remains a close and valued friend, and he gently sets boundaries to keep the relationship platonic.

That said, male MCs still have meaningful romantic paths available with other ROs, so there are plenty of opportunities for romance regardless of your character’s gender.

Emilia, on the other hand, hasn’t yet imagined becoming lovers, but since she is a potential RO, your choices can shape whether that bond blossoms into something more.

[No_This_Is_Patrick]

Is Valeria a RO? And can we know more about her and how her and MC know each other.

[nuna]

This is a very cool start to this new setting and story, I’ll be following for the updates! I like how relationship options are so varied about Eric, would love to see more of this in games instead of the usual i like him/i see him as friend only/i don’t like him trio. And the shadow stuff seems interesting, i feel like it might be a symptom of something instead of the illness itself. But I’m only theorizing of course, this has been a lovely new find for me!