AFNEWSIES #2: Map Madness
So, it’s been a while. I graduated, binged Castlevania season four (which I loved), and started making the Team Y game demo! Behold, my first (draft) map:
Now that I have progress I can show outside of writing, I’ll try to update this blog at least once a month. My previous blog post covered the summary of the Team Y RPG and its protagonist, Yiesha Stoker, and you can read it here!
The Demo
The demo starts with the player, Yiesha, arriving at the Telkhu trading outpost with her teammates Kiojah and Jaxter (with all three of them forming Team Y). Yiesha’s aunt, Gloriosa, has vanished, and Yiesha hopes to receive guidance on her aunt’s whereabouts from Abimbola’s famed psychic princess, Isioma. Kiojah hopes that Isioma will inform her of a way to cure her vampirism and end her banishment from her family home, while Jaxter hopes to find someone from his past.
However, upon entering the trading outpost, they learn that the city gates of Abimbola have been closed, and no one is allowed in or out. Team Y will have to find another way to enter the city — perhaps a local trader can provide some insight?
As for a development timeline, I’ve started both writing and scripting the demo, (although I’m still figuring out technical aspects and whether RPGMaker MV is the best program to utilize for it). Currently, it’s just me developing this, but don’t worry — I plan to finish this demo one way or another. The initial trip to Abimbola is one of the first major arcs after Team Y is fully formed, so you’ll be able to see them as they work together (and even when they don’t.)
Speaking of the demo, where and what is Abimbola, anyway? And what’s this about psychic princesses? Well…
The City of Abimbola
The City of Abimbola. An abundant subtropical area located in the center of the Abimbola grasslands. Once, it was fiercely divided during the Abimbola war years ago, but now it is united as one peaceful city. It is ruled by the Abimbola royal family and guarded by its equally feared and revered Abimbola Sapphires.
Though its markets are reason enough for travelers far and wide to visit, its main attraction is its prophetic royals. For generations, the Abimbola royals have told the fortunes of all who visit the royal chambers for no charge (though many bring gifts hoping to incur a positive fortune.)
The Abimbola Royal Family & Isioma
The city of Abimbola has been ruled by its royal family since its founding. Magic users of the ultimate caliber, they are known for their potent psychic abilities. All Abimbola royals can see the future in some form; however, should an Abimbola royal’s clairvoyance fail at any point, calamity is sure to follow… So the Abimbola royals take care to demonstrate their psychic abilities frequently. The previous queen of Abimbola, Kiona, could see the future through her mirrors before her tragic death. Before that, when her psychic visions failed her, Gloriosa came to her aid.
The current ruler of Abimbola and daughter of Kiona, Princess Isioma, can foretell people’s fates through braiding their hair. Even though she’s rarely left the Abimbolan palace since her mother’s death twenty years ago, she’s worked tirelessly with her tutors to become a proper queen of Abimbola, in addition to telling the fortunes of all who come to her court. Despite her sheltered upbringing and quiet nature, the princess is adored by all, especially the Abimbola Sapphires and Rayowa, her personal bodyguard.
If you like what you see, don’t worry — Isioma will be a prominent non-playable character and she will grow throughout the game along with Team Y. If you want to see one of her interactions with Yiesha, look no further — I wrote a short story about Isioma telling Yiesha’s fortune, and you can read it right here!
Thanks for reading!
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