Equinox character overview #1 Clix and Kimberly

Character 1: Clyde 'Clix' Drake

The main protagonist of the story, Clix and his friends end up in a strange world known as 'Nyris' after a series of events unfolds that will change his life for the better and for the worst. Due to their strange arrival they are dubbed the saviours of Nyris, who were sent by the gods to aid them in their plight against the Reavers. 

Clix is a rather quiet and distant character at first, due to the nightmares of his mothers death. He feels that he would be a burden to those around him if he showed any sign of weakness, however as the story he learns truths that would shatter any normal being but this only resolves to make him stronger. He doesn't truly understand why or how he has ended up in this strange world but he will do anything to help anyone in danger and gladly takes up the task at hand. Will he succeed in his task to destroy the Reavers? 

Character 2: Kimberly Rogers

The first creature Clix and his friends encounter in Nyris, the eccentric yet wonderful Fellyne. Kimberly Rogers.

As noted by her ears and her strange tail, Kimberly is very human like but has cat like features attached to her. Her race known as the Fellyne are often found in the southern continents where it has a warmer climate but Kimberly has friends in the local kingdom where she does odd jobs such as collecting medicinal herbs.

In personality, she is a very happy go lucky person, she is very eccentric and loves to joke around but her life was not always like this. At birth her family were killed by the Reavers and she soon found that she needed to fend for herself, she trained in stealth and using daggers in combat in order to strike a killing blow with ease. She joins Clix and his friends in order to avenge her family but to also save those that are in danger who she considers family.

Equinox novel segment #2

Kimberly sat down next to the others as Viktor added some more wood to the fire, ‘Oh I almost forgot, I haven’t asked you your names?’ Kimberly said, ‘Oh well, you know Ray’ Viktor said, Ray smiled, ‘I am Viktor and this here is Clix’ Viktor continued, ‘Well Clyde actually’ Clyde said, ‘ok so they call you Clyde Clix?’ Kimberly asked confused, ‘no no, just either Clyde or Clix’ Clyde explained, ‘so; which do you prefer Clyde or Clix?’ Kimberly asked, ‘…..Clix, just call me Clix’ Clyde said, he thought for a second, this way is probably better as he didn’t want to confuse the people of Nyris, if he was supposed to be the savior he may as well use a name that stuck better in people’s minds. 

‘Ok Clix it is’ Kimberly said, the four sat there listening to the sounds of nature all around them as they made small talk into the dead of night, ‘so is your world filled with creatures like the Lepulsa?’ Kimberly asked, ‘not so much…..we have animals but nothing like those, we have quite a few domesticated animals and a fair amount of wild animals but nothing like a person crossed with a snake’ Ray explained, ‘whoa that seems strange, I mean we do have normal animals but we may have different names for them, you will have to tell me some of the names for the creatures you have on your world if you see something similar here, I would love to learn them’ Kimberly said, Ray smiled ‘sure if you explain to us things in this world we’ll try and explain things about our world as we go’ Clix said as he put more wood on the fire. The group remained silent for a while listening to the sound of the area around them, the wind was gentle and quite warm it wasn't cold like it was back on Earth before they left. 

Soon the four drifted off to sleep, the seals keeping them safe glowed a pale blue within the moonlight. As he drifted off Clix began to think of all that had happened, was he really the one that was sent to save this world as Kimberly said, he wasn't sure but he must have been sent here for something. 

Equinox novel segment #1

The heat was unbearable, as the fire roared as the young child cried, his father slowly making his way towards him. The child’s mother was nowhere to be seen as the man carried his child through the burning cabin. The whole place was slowly crumbling to the ground as the flames lay waste to the wooden support beams holding the ceiling above in place, they would not last much longer.

‘Sarah!!!’ The father kept calling out, his wife not answering the shouts of her worried husband, as the child cried the floor above began to creek before finally collapsing on the father and his child. Trapped and frightened the father held the child tightly as he felt it would be their final time together, the fiery hot rubble slowly searing his arms to make sure it didn’t touch the child, as they slowly drifted unconscious due to the lack of Oxygen.

As the two lay there, the father slowly began to wake as he heard a voice calling out to him ‘Graham! Graham!’ the voice called, the father could barely make a noise but managed to kick the rubble ‘Hang in there! I’ll get you out’ the rubble began to move as a figure reached for the father and his child; the figure led the father outside whilst carrying the child. The air was clear as Oxygen filled the lungs of the father and the child as they continually coughed until the smoke in their lungs vanished.

The father looked up to see his friend Marcus stood there, he could only smile as he was still breathless from the fire until he realised; that his wife was nowhere to be seen ‘Sar…..Sarah!’ the father shouted as he tried to run back into the burning building. Marcus grabbed him ‘No…..it is too late, we need to go now!’ Marcus pulled his friend and ran. As they ran, the child looked back at the flame covered wreckage that was once his home, as he stared he saw it, within the flames the shadow of his mother kneeling down with a demonic figure stood beside her, the details of the figure couldn’t be made out other than the glowing red eyes as they stared at the mother before pulling a large sword that sliced down on the poor defenseless woman. The child screamed ‘mummy!’ over and over as the demonic figure laughed maniacally, a laugh that pierced through the child’s ears before the demon disappeared into the fire.

Game Concept #1 Rise of Osiris

'Egypt, Pyramids finished, supernatural horror thriller, Dark, Astrological, Plagues, Sacrifice, Addiction'

Dark: Bleak, Evil, Clouded, Somber

Astrological: Magical, Enigmatic, Cryptic, Necromatic, Spiritual 

Plague: Curse, Epidemic, Outbreak, Scourge, Affliction 

Sacrifice: Endure, Offer, Yield, Forfeit, Surrender, Renounce 

Addiction: Craving, Fixation, Slave, Obsession

Main character: Tutankhamun

A young Pharaoh imbued with the power of the Sun/Radiance God Ra and the God of Death Anubis who needs to be kept in balance. Too much light or too much darkness will corrupt him, his powers will increase with each use but it will cost more and affect him in different ways.

General premise

The player will take control of the young Pharaoh Tutankhamun, with him they will have to journey all across Egypt to wipe out the scourge of Osiris. The game is centred around giving the player a fright, by having things fly at the player in the dark and dank areas which could range from bats to the cursed people of Egypt charging and screaming at the player. 

The game has action elements in terms of combat but it will feature a noise gauge, the player will have to sneak around in areas that are filled with cursed civilians to allow them to remain unscathed. They must be vigilant as the enemies could appear out of nowhere. 

The player will have to defeat each of the Pharaohs that was awoken, only by doing this can they finally face Osiris in battle and save their kingdom. 

Story Points

• The Pharaohs were considered to be Horus in life and Osiris in death 
• Story covers the Plague of Osiris: uses the Pharoahs corpses to take over the known world
• Anubis looked over the Pharoahs in their tombs to make sure they were secure after learning of Osiris's plan to curse the world using the Pharaohs. 
• Ra engraved symbols into the Pyramids, preventing Osiris from gaining access. 
• Thieves come to take the treasures from the great Pyramid of Giza. They become greedy and take the Sarcophagus from Khufu's resting chamber, ultimately leading to Osiris to take control of the dead king and begin his curse. 
• Plague affects the thieves who then spread it through the towns. 
• Ra and Anubis grant their powers to the Pharaoh Tutankhamun, who will need to destroy Osiris and his army of undead Pharaohs. 

Game Mechanics

As mentioned above, the game centres around action combat with elements of sneaking and jump scares. The game itself will be mostly in third person except for certain moments that will be in first person to add to the thrill factor. 

The game has a free roam world, similar to the Assassins Creed series. They will gain horses to ride to cities, towns, landmarks and mission points. This allows the player to do what they wish and that they are not completely restricted to the main story.  

Noise Gauge

The player will have to pay close attention to the noise gauge if they want to remain stealthy. They can tilt the analog stick to varying degrees in order to change how quickly Tutankhamun moves in the field, if they tilt it slightly he will sneak and if they tilt it all the way forward he will run. 

The texture of the floor will also play a role into this, sand will allow him to move fairly quickly as it is not as noisy compared to the stone floors of the pyramids. They player will need to learn the best way to traverse the different environments and successful complete their missions. 

Powers and Addiction

One of the main focal points of 'Rise of Osiris' is the powers that the Tutankhamun receives from both Ra and Anubis. The player can focus more on the light route which unlocks powers of radiance and the use of the sun and advanced combat or they can go with the dark route and follow the path of Anubis, using his powers for advanced stealth, darkness and death. 

Both come with a series of traits that will aid the player on their quest to save Egypt and allow them to complete missions in a variety of different ways that they may not have been able to do with the other powers. 

Using one set of powers more than another will shift Tutankhamun further into that Gods favour and allow more powers to be unlocked for that God. However the player must keep a close eye on this as relying on one set of powers for too long will cause the young Pharaoh to become addicted to them and he will begin to lose favour with the other God. This will cause a variety of effects that will not only aid the player but also negatively affect them. 

Some effects are as follows: 

• Greater damage but at a higher cost
• Receive greater damage from the opposite element
• Using powers of the opposite God will reduce health due to not being used to them 
• Screen blur and a dazed character 
• Continual damage when out in direct sun or moonlight depending on the god in favour

There are many other effects so it is important to keep the powers in check so that the negatives don't outweigh the positives. 

The player will also have a series of weapons that they can equip, these are split into light and dark:

Weapons of Light:

• The radiant blade of Ra
• The solar slingshot 
• The staff of light

Weapons of Darkness:

• The death sickles of Anubis
• The midnight daggers  
• The Void Mace 

Each of these gains a bonus if they are equipped when the player is in a specific favour. Ra for the Light weapons and Anubis for the Dark weapons, these will also play into the addiction mechanic so the player must make sure that they have a balance of light and dark weapons equipped so that they do not receive negative effects from these as well. 

Sacrificing to the Gods

As with many ancient civilisations, the Egyptians believed in sacrificing to their Gods. The player will also have this option, they can either Sacrifice creatures and humans to Ra or to Anubis. 

What they player receives for doing these interactions is abilities and equipment for their chosen God that they would not be able to acquire in any other circumstance, so it is wise to keep an eye out for these sacrificial points to gain these. Once a sacrifice has been performed, the player cannot use that point again so they need to make sure that they have chosen wisely before completing the ritual. 

Praying to the Stars

Along with the powers, the player can also pray to the stars in various astrological sightings. What these do is allow the player to upgrade Tutankhamun in specific bonuses such as increased health, increased power, increased stealth etc. 

The player will gain points for completing missions and sidequests which they are then allowed to imbue into the stars and gain their attributes. Their is a specific amount the player can receive and once a point has been imbued it cannot be removed, so they will have to make sure the bonus is what they want to focus their character in. 

Key Points

• A look at ancient Egyptian culture with a twist 
• Allows the player to build the character they wish 
• Allows the player to roam the world without detracting from the story 
• Unique mechanics that give focus on the time period

Character writing #2 Isonash

‘Dystopian, 13^th Century, Hokkaido, Eerie, Monotonous, Silky, Durable, Conspicuous’

13^th Century Hokkaido Japan – Ainu people, Island of Ezo, Larger regional groups, economic and military expansion some move to southern Sahkalin. Drive the forces of Nivkh to the mouth of the Amur and directly confront the forces of Yuan. Bear sending ritual.

Dystopian – misery, oppression, overcrowding

Eerie – Ghostly, Supernatural, Bizarre, Mysterious

Monotonous – Humdrum, Tiresome, Repetitive

Silky – Delicate, Satiny, Silken, Plush, Luxurious

Durable – Lasting, Dependable, Strong, Abiding, Impervious

Conspicuous – Distinct, Discernible, Visible

Isonash

The Island of Ezo; known as Hokkaido in modern times and the birth place of Ainu people, a group of varying tribes that lived off the land and worshipped the Gods of nature. Many of the tribes fight for superiority over Ezo forcing the smaller tribes into submission, except for one lone devoted tribe in the south east of the Island who knew that their gods would not let them suffer. However for days to come this would not be the case as the larger tribes put pressure on them to join their cause.

The tribe continued their days, hunting for scraps but to no avail. Their food sources were becoming scarce as the larger tribes continued to dominate the land, taking all the resources and anything they could find for themselves.

The days became full of misery as the oppression of the large tribes rained down upon them. That is until one day a miracle began to happen...

Within this downtrodden tribe, a young male by the name of Isonash lay sleeping as strange ghostly voices began to speak to him in his head. It told him over and over that he had been chosen by the gods to be the saviour of the Ainu, for them to grow and expand their territory, bring the tribes together and make sure they are well looked after. Isonash responded with glad tidings that the gods were watching out for him and the tribe he belonged to but he was a mere boy, how would be able to help? The gods simply replied ‘the bear will guide you to true potential’ before they vanished.

Isonash awake after this peculiar series of events to find a Bear Cub sat staring at him in, its head tilted to one side. Not believing his eyes he reached out to touch the Cub to see if it was real or a figment of his imagination due to lack of food...It was most definitely real.   

A brilliant light lit the entire hut as Isonash covered his eyes due to its radiance, as it disappeared he noticed the Bear cub had vanished but something felt different to him. He looked down to see he wore strange garbs and armour emblazoned with the distinct insignia of the gods. The bear cub had fused with him, its fur lay across his shoulders and head wrapped his own like a hood as the main body flew behind him like a cape, his body was wrapped in a strange silken armour that felt soft to the touch but also strong and filled with light and hope, dark leather boots and gloves enveloped his hands and feet. Upon his back lay an intricately designed Bow and Quiver that glowed with a radiance that was not meant for mortal eyes, the arrows each decorated with spotted owl feathers and sharp enough to pierce the darkest of nights.

Isonash left his home and began his journey out into the Island of Ezo, not only to save those who were suffering but to stop those who force the plight of the land, but even with the power of the gods would it be enough... 

Appearance

Shoulder length black hair that has been tied at the back into a knot at the base of his hairline. His eyes are a piercing blue that reflects the light of the moon, very wolf like in texture. Very stern features, he has a low brow with quite a pointed chin, he has a goatee surrounding his jaw and mouth. Around 5'08 in height, not too tall to allow him to crouch lower for sneaking, Isonash is also well built allowing him to climb and run at speed. A bear pelt rests on his shoulders and its head is used as a hood, his clothing is moderately dark to allow him to blend in with his surroundings.  

Character writing #1 Ishtar-Mardek

‘The Bygone Era, Babylon, naughty, stoic, repugnant, towering, argumentative, radical’

Bygone Era – olden times, ruins, ancient civilisation

Babylon – Hanging Gardens, God Fearing, Babylonian Calendar, Neo-Babylonia, wrapped robes, shawls, colourful.

Naughty – Wicked, Playful, Mischievous, Fiendish, Teasing

Stoic – Apathetic, Indomitable, Dry, Unemotional, Resigned

Repugnant – Creepy, Vile, Horrid, Foul, Sickening

Towering – Monumental, Sublime, Elevated, Outstanding, Supreme, Superior

Argumentative – Belligerent, Combative, Opinionated, Factious

Radical – Agitator, Anarchist, Mover, Rebel, Revolutionary

Ishtar-Mardek

In the ancient times of the Babylonians, there once lived a priestess of immeasurable elegance. This woman enraptured the hearts of men as she watched over the ancient Babylonian Lunar Calendar; however this would ultimately lead to her downfall.

As the high priestess, Ishtar-Mardek was worshipped like a Goddess, men would shower her with gifts and praise for all she did for them, and each time they did it only served to increase her vanity, she would tease her worshippers forcing them to do her bidding and ultimately gaining what she desired. The King in particular took the priestess into his heart and eventually wed her making her queen, but this was short lived. After returning back to the castle after a day amongst the people, he found his Queen in embrace of one of his royal advisors within their chamber; the King became enraged and executed his once closest ally where he stood. Ishtar using all her wiles, attempt for the king to spare her but the king was not fooled; he exiled her from the Kingdom and left her to rot in the world outside.

Many years passed for Ishtar in her exile, this began to warp her mind and she became increasingly more vindictive by the hour. She felt cheated out of what was rightfully hers, the Kingdom of which she received Exile. Her vile and sickening thoughts led her to begin recruiting those who had also been banished by the King, causing rebellion and unrest within the small towns spread throughout the lands as more and more men joined her cause.

Soon she had an army that rivalled the kings, men both loved and feared her as they began to dub her ‘Ishtar the Supreme’, they would do anything for their Queen and soon marched on the Kingdom that they once called home.

The kingdom stood no chance against Ishtar and her unstoppable force, men, women and children all perished to their blades and the ruins that surrounded them. The King soon surrendered to the woman that he once loved, yet Ishtar showed no mercy in beheading him where he stood.

The once peaceful kingdom was now under her control, she used her vicious and tyrannical mind to deceive her people and keep them under her power. Many tried to kill her during her reign but all met their end as she brutally murdered them without care or emotion.

It is said that within the ruins of the Kingdom of Hanging Gardens that Ishtar sits silently on her throne. Her hatred for all keeping her alive but it is unknown what she is waiting for, perhaps death? Or waiting for the right time for the world to know her true strength?

Appearance

Ishtar has, long flowing black hair, dark blue eyes, and pale olive skin. She wears a cowl around her head and a shawl that rests on her shoulders. Jewellery all up and down her arms, she has the symbol of the moon emblazoned on her chest above her breasts, a dress that opens up at her cleavage, wrapped in a cloth belt, a skirt that flows from the right side down to her left foot, long boots that reach her knees, carries a sceptre with the crest of the moon atop of it. 

Creative Writing

Hi guys 

As part of a mini project I am working on I have created a few written concepts for characters and a game idea. I asked people to give me the following:

- a time period 
- a genre
- a location
- 1-5 completely random descriptive words

With this information, I would then create either a character, a short story or a game concept. So I will be posting a few examples. 

To go with this, over the years I have created a novel that will be developing into a trilogy, So I will be posting small exerts from that, along with a couple of pieces of initial character art for the main cast of the story. 

--Andy