(You can skip this if you’d like, the start is at: I Welcome You to Alvernia!)
This world is filled with the unknown; nobody truly knows what lies in its midst. I have lived here far too long, and have seen many things unbeknownst to the gods. As we awaken in this cruel place we’re but babes left to suckle on the breasts of our mothers. Whether they treat us with care, to guide our hands towards the light; or destroy our sense of sanity, tempting us to embrace the wings of darkness, we will not know. Once we come of age; our gift, and curse, our manifested love and hatred, and most of all, our fears; they burn upon our palms, lighting the mark of a Shaman, shedding the sacred ash of our youthful skin. This insignia forever banished us from what we knew, and threw us into the cold unforgiving hands of Alvernia.
The world is crumbling beneath our heels; the warring nations of this world threaten to extinguish the existence of peace and prosperity. We must stand in the light and cast out the shadows that reign supreme upon these lands. So on this day, I, Bayhmor, call upon you, my brothers and sisters of the silver moon, to join me in the heart of the Crimson Woods. Your brethren beside you; you are unstoppable. Speak the words with me, and be conjoined with our world; the world of the Shamans.
Will you take this oath?
Will you crumble like all the others?
I wonder…
Will your story be written in blood like those before us?
I Welcome You to Alvernia!
Hello, my handle is John Salem and I’m the creator of Alvernia. The world of Alvernia spans hundreds of years and is filled with rich, dark history. Telling the story of multiple potential heroes or villains; it puts the history of the world in the player’s hands. The goal of this series is to have players write that history through their actions throughout the gameplay, and as the games progress through each title they will experience countless adventures until finally reaching the present day Alvernia.
Each title will represent a single piece of the world’s history, something that is written about in every text book known to an Alvernian historian. I am currently in the developing stage of the first title of Alvernia, the sacred circle in the title is simply a placeholder for now.
Please join me this day, and help be a part of this blooming flower; but beware of it’s thorns for they long for flesh…
The World
Alvernia is a massive place spanning seven different continents, each one having its own historical value in the world. The continents still have a large amount of development needed, but I have a rough idea of how each will unfold as time progresses in the writing phase.
The main continent I am focusing on for this first title is presently known as Intalis, however the point in Alvernia’s history that this title is based on, it is known as Epheria. Epheria rests in the easternmost region of the world.
This area is ruled by a king whose mind is rotting away from the vile grip of a necromancer belonging to the sacred circle; this cult worships Syvir, the goddess of death and hatred. She is depicted as the blood moon that rises in the sky, casting the world in a bloody hue. Dark magic is at its pinnacle when her evil eye gazes upon the world, demons awaken from their slumber to plunge their razor sharp claws into the warm innards of Alvernia’s inhabitants.
There are three cycles of an Alvernian calendar month. A cycle is a passage of time where the sun, or either moon stays in the sky. There are no night and day cycles that happen one after the other in constant rotation. The three gods that are worshipped vie for dominance in the sky, which in turn changes constantly how long the sun, or either moon will be in the sky.
The three god cycles are as follows:
The cycle of Hephus, the sun god; creator of life, bringer of six of the seven races, and savior from the dark. The Hephus cycle can last from eight to sixteen earth days. Though typically it lasts no more than thirteen. Hephus takes no interest in the competition between his two sisters Villor and Syvir, and has remained neutral since the beginning of his conception.
The cycle of Villor, the silver moon; creator of the elements, and of the seventh race; the humans. To battle the evil that Syvir brings to the world, Villor created the Shamans. Humans are the only race that can become a shaman, on her cycle, they are at their most powerful state. The Villor cycle lasts anywhere from six to ten days and is the weakest of the three gods.
Finally the cycle of Syvir, the blood moon; creator of the un-dead and of demons. Bringer of the red mist and collector of souls. Syvir is the most powerful god of the three, her cycle lasts for thirteen earth days; bringing with it the foulest of demons. Unless her forces are stopped, which has never happened in the history of Alvernia those thirteen days will be stained with the blood of the innocent.
I could go on and on about their history and how they tie into Nerilius, and Melona their father and mother; if you want to know more then you will have to wait.
The Plan
So, now you know a small piece of what kind of world Alvernia is; and how massive it will become. I have no intention of designing all seven continents for the first title’s release, or even creating the whole continent of Epheria.
My goal with the first title is to set the stage for the world, but to not give players too much information at once so we do not spoil further titles from retaining their storytelling value. The first title covers very little of the mainland and focuses on a smaller area that is filled with a variety of captivating events.
The Team
The Alvernia team is looking for members to contribute their talents to all aspects of early development. These aspects are as follows:
2x Storytellers - You will be helping me in creating a living, breathing world filled with interesting characters, plot twists, adventures and various other aspects of an rpg title.
2x Scripters - You will be working together to create the backbone to the title. Creating the core mechanics of this first title, focusing on the combat mechanics while also creating a primitive adaptation of the world progression system, and pathway system which will be described in detail once you join the team.
1x Environmental Concept Artist - Creating a world with such an influence from the gods will be no easy task, but in my eyes would be exciting. I implore all concept artists to be as creative as possible, throw ideas my way and let your creativity flow
1x Character Concept Artist - Designing characters that are memorable, and that catch the eye. Your quest is to come up with unique and fun designs that fit the feel of Alvernia’s dark history, but that still have hope twinkling in their eyes.
1x Monster and Boss Concept Artist - You will be in charge of designing the spawns of Syvir when her bloody gaze pours across the lands of Alvernia. Also the local creatures and wildlife would also be under your penmanship.
The Coin Purse
I am not a publisher, and I certainly don’t have the money to pay for all this up front. However, I do not wish to dampen your spirit! I have goals set in place that I have faith in, goals that can and will lead us to release, if we stick to them.
Once we have a thirty minute demo featuring the basic components of the game, and are able to show off our content and desire to create an amazing title we will launch our Kickstarter campaign.
If you haven’t heard of Kickstarter before, it is a fundraising website that allows people to browse through fundraising campaigns started by pretty much anyone. It has proven to be extremely successful for indie titles, and I will be using this as payment for all contributors to Alvernia. There is no guarantee that we will raise a substantial amount of money, however, with the right marketing firm that could help bolster our chances.
Once the game is released, all members of the team will be given royalties for each and every sale we make. I would prefer to release this title through steam, but am willing to look into other options; if any other platforms arise to peek our interest.
Conclusion
It’s been a long journey from the top of this thread to here, I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have! I am willing to answer any questions about Alvernia, and if you’re interested in joining the team, please message me on this website, or at my email address listen below. If you’re interested in just talking about games in general, don’t be afraid to message me or send me an email.
You can reach me at: Alvernia_Official@live.com
Have a wonderful day, may the god’s be ever in your favor.
-John Salem-