When the Bells Toll (OUDATED THREAD)

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Lishy
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When the Bells Toll (OUDATED THREAD)

#1 Post by Lishy »

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Edit May 20th, 2019:

Hey everyone reading this thread in 2019 and beyond. Thank you for taking an interest in the history of this project.

Much of the information in this thread is currently outdated. (Including a change to concept, characters, and protagonist.)

I have left this up as an archive for those interested to learn how much a project evolves over its development cycle. Some links were removed due to the hosts they were originally using. I have tried to keep as much content possible. I wish all you internet historians happy readings!
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When the Bells Toll is a Romantic Suspense visual novel revolving around the young adults, Menlo and Kagra, as they realize the impermanence of things precious to them. Driven by their losses to understand themselves, they search for enlightenment with a reverie of drinking and bartending.

Rumor has it that should a Reaper haunt one’s dreams, death is inevitable. Children and young adults across Montreal who claim this experience, vanish inexplicably after, until finally their corpses are found, ripped apart and ravaged, their organs missing from the gory pieces that once resembled a human being.

Hushed whispers speak of this as the “Reaper’s Curse”.

Menlo begins having frightening experiences of his own with the Reaper. He meets the bartender, Kagra, who also faces a dilemma of paranormal experiences as well; a haunting past of inexplicable circumstances, seemingly connected to the curse.

It’s okay to scream. It’s okay to cry. But never look directly into its eyes or run. Do not trigger its hunting instinct. Stand perfectly still, otherwise a slaughter will take place. The true howler in the darkness hunts for the blood of the crawling chaos

All is meaningless. Don’t worry, though. Relax at your favorite bar, enjoy your life, make light out of darkness. Laugh with friends, kiss a lover, or sit alone and peaceful as you reflect upon your favorite drink. Life is all about how we cushion our fall, and making the best of things in the aftermath.

-Info-
Length: 11-15 hours per arc
Genres: Romance, Mystery, Drama, Psychological, Thriller, Conspiracy, Horror
Format: Kinetic ("Sound" Novel)
Music composed by Nicol (Composer of Katawa Shoujo!)
-The main cast-
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  • Menlo Francois
    Main hero of the story. Very timid and shy. Menlo’s hobbies involve mostly flower gardening and meditation, although he has a bit of a wild side to him as well. Generally quite polite and gentle, but also a bit childish. Menlo is a pacifist who would rather turn the other cheek, than to make any conflicts. He tries his best to be spiritual, but often can’t resist the frustrating fun of his mobile games.
  • Kagra Frederique
    Main Heroine of the story. At first glance, Kagra seems quiet and polite. However, those who take the time to know her will find a very sassy and independent woman underneath, with a sultry sense of humor. Passionate about bartending and spirits, Kagra almost always has a cocktail metaphor for everything, and her love for alcohol makes her no less of a wild drinker. Kagra also loves horror films, showing an unusual appreciation for the morbid. A true self-proclaimed “nightmare-fetishist”.
  • Ayaka Lorelei
    Ayaka is a laid-back and flirtatious girl, though can be a bit of a muscle-head at times. In particular, she’s fond of going to the gym and training Menlo, as they are such close friends. Ayaka passionately follows her mother’s footsteps by studying medicine, showing a rare level of dedication for someone her age. Despite this, she loves to party, and experiments with drugs. Ayaka also has a dominant side to her, which she has no shame hiding, while her easy-going, fun attitude naturally gives her a magnetic personality.
Image
  • Nina Cartier
    With a mischievous grin and shifty eyes, this sly gal never misses an opportunity to mesmerize her audience. Nina proclaims her goal in life is to influence the human mind and imagination. Her passions are rather esoteric: psychology, the paranormal, and urban legends. She also dabbles in hypnosis, casually using her friends as subjects for mind control. Compared to her peers, Nina operates on an entirely different wavelength.
Image
  • Garcia Leon
    A hardworking student and aspiring to become a journalist, Garcia looks to the paranormal as just another mystery to analyze and solve, taking a rather critical approach to any story he hears. Most of his peers tend to think of him as just a perverted nerd, but do not make the mistake of overlooking him. When push comes to shove, Garcia can be serious and perceptive, noticing things gone wrong, way before anyone else. He is ruthless against injustice.
  • Jessica Schwarzkamp
    A friend of Menlo and his family. Although she is only one year older than him, Jessica has a very nurturing personality. She acts motherly towards her peers, and as a result, tends to treat them like children. While most of her free time involves practicing archery, Jessica has a side of her that she tries to hide from others, but she sometimes slips up whenever someone mentions eroge or cosplay. A big fan of a certain dojin SHMUP.
Image
  • Natasha Seraphine
    Natasha tries to conquer each day with a cheery smile, full of energy. Her optimistic view on life allows her to get along with others very easily, although Natasha herself can be a bit clumsy at times, and her timidness makes her quite easy to frighten. She is the president of her college anime club, and practices martial arts in her spare time. Despite her harmless, gentle demeanor, Natasha claims she knows how to snap someone’s neck.
Thank you for reading!
- Lishy
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[center]Screenshots and Extra Artwork[/center]
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Screenshots
http://i.imgur.com/3IdONL9.png
http://i.imgur.com/zCD0GTP.png

Kagra Artwork
Summer Dress:
http://i.imgur.com/nCX625H.png

Ayaka Artwork
Leather jacket with pants:
http://i.imgur.com/zSXdBHS.png
Leather jacket with skirt:
http://i.imgur.com/Cjflolf.png
Alternate outfit:
http://i.imgur.com/5r8PQkM.png
Ayaka CG1:
http://i.imgur.com/ifk2FgF.png
Ayaka promo-CG1
http://i.imgur.com/S7RNQdS.jpg [NSFW]

Nina Cartier
Nina promo-CG:
http://i.imgur.com/s3KfN0m.png [NSFW]
screenshot0013.png
screenshot0019.png
kagra01.jpg
Last edited by Lishy on Mon May 20, 2019 12:20 pm, edited 26 times in total.
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Re: When the Bells Toll (Romantic Suspense)

#2 Post by Caveat Lector »

Updated my signature! Ooooh, I can barely conceal my excitement~
Reader Beware!


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Re: When the Bells Toll (Romantic Suspense)

#3 Post by Lishy »

Archived Old Post, Aug 04, 2014 :
Yay, already time for another update! ^__^

We wish to introduce another main character, Natasha Seraphine.

Natasha has a lot written for her, and I've already drafted her backstory. She has significant importance in the plot, especially regarding her friendship with Jessica and role during Menlo's college years.

Personality-wise, I'd say she's quite good natured and sincere. Natasha is a diligent student, who always tries her hardest to work her best, usually with a smile, but can be a bit clumsy at times. Her optimistic view on life allows her to get along with others very easily, although Natasha also has a timid side that can be very easy to frighten. She is the president of her college anime club, and practices martial arts in her spare time. Despite her harmless, gentle demeanor, Natasha claims she knows how to snap someone's neck.

Unfortunately, she's a rather late introduction to the story, so we haven't finished her sprites yet. Once they are completed, I will add her profile to the main post as soon as possible. Luckily, we do have some nice concept art, courtesy of Sigma! :D
Edit May 20th, 2019: To any future readers of this thread, I just want to thank Sigma for helping us produce this awesome character design.
Attachments
natasha_conceptart1.jpg
Last edited by Lishy on Mon May 20, 2019 11:50 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: When the Bells Toll (Romantic Suspense)

#4 Post by Mad Harlequin »

Oh, how cute! Natasha's design is my favorite so far, I think. I love the cowlick.
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Re: When the Bells Toll (Romantic Suspense)

#5 Post by Gospel »

This actually seems like it'll be right up my alley.
I'll keep an eye on it for now. The story sounds very interesting and the art looks great.

I... just have to say Ayaka's family name made me laugh a little.
I'm German, so it just sounds super weird to me ^^;
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Re: When the Bells Toll (Romantic Suspense)

#6 Post by thebackup »

For six years of hard work and dedication, this looks really amazing!

Something to look forward to :)

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Re: When the Bells Toll (Romantic Suspense)

#7 Post by Lishy »

Hey all,

Back with some CG progress. Check it out! :D (Yes, Menlo X Kagra shipping!)
Attachments
cg1_kagra_menlo.jpg
Last edited by Lishy on Wed Aug 20, 2014 1:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Lishy
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Re: When the Bells Toll (Romantic Suspense)

#8 Post by Lishy »

Hey all, back with some more art. And bagels. Yes, Kagra is Jewish, and she loves bagels! :lol:

We're also currently working on Natasha's sprites. Expect to see her profile up in the coming week or two.
Attachments
bench640.png
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Re: When the Bells Toll (Romantic Suspense)

#9 Post by Lishy »

We're almost done Natasha's sprites!
Attachments
natasha_WiP.jpg
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Re: When the Bells Toll (Romantic Suspense)

#10 Post by daijinahito »

Wow, I love the whole feel of this project! It's amazing how much you've spent on it and how long you've been working on it! Props to you for sticking to your VN till the end. u_u Mine is going extremely slowly right now, so I'm wondering if I'll be in the same bout 6 yrs down the road, he he. Well, I 'm super excited about your project after reading everything. I'd really love it if you'd post an excerpt from the script. O_Ob I really want to read a full dialogue to see what the writing is like, though the writing samples in the screen caps appeared to be pretty good. ^^

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Re: When the Bells Toll (Romantic Suspense)

#11 Post by meiri »

Whoa, this looks fantastic. Characters are authentic and realistic (which I love to see!) and I'm really into the story-- I love suspense. :D Can't wait to see any further progress!
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Re: When the Bells Toll (Romantic Suspense)

#12 Post by Lishy »

Hey all. Sorry it took so long for me to update. I've been hard at work, making progress!

Finally added Natasha to the main post, and updated many things to more accurately fit the current state of the story, including the summary and some of the character profiles. Check it out! ;)
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Re: When the Bells Toll (Romantic Suspense)

#13 Post by TheOnlyKieran »

This looks incredible! I have to ask, what's with the 34 nickname?

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Re: When the Bells Toll (Romantic Suspense)

#14 Post by Lishy »

TheOnlyKieran wrote:This looks incredible! I have to ask, what's with the 34 nickname?
Thank you! :)

There is a reason for Ayaka's nickname, but you'll have to read to find out!
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Re: When the Bells Toll (Romantic Suspense)

#15 Post by Lishy »

http://lilium-noire.tumblr.com/WhenTheBellsToll

After spending many, many hours over the course of an entire week, our Tumblr page is *FINALLY* completely set up!

Our Tumblr page will serve as our current website to organize information for When the Bells Toll. Make sure to follow us for all the latest blog updates! :D
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