setting:
beyond the borders of the town, at the edge of the evergreen woods, is a small boarding school for boys. founded by the order of St. Grimm and run by habit-wearing monks, the institution takes in troubled youth with the aim of reforming and dedicating them towards good.
Hans, and his twin brother Gregory, have been sent to St. Grimm's by their wicked stepmother. Their interactions with the residents and staff of the school could be the difference between a bad end or a happily ever after.
the boys:
Hans
the Main Character. 15 years old and from an impoverished family. he and his brother were sent to St. Grimm’s by their stepmother, ostensibly for their troublingly codependent relationship. however, the twins suspect she really sent them there to ensure they won’t inherit the family’s meagre land.
he’s the older twin; more optimistic and approachable than Gregory. due to a traumatic incident when the twins were 12, he's become very protective of his brother. he'd drop anything and come running if Gregory calls for him, even at harm to himself.
Gregory
Hans' twin brother. the two are identical except for eye colour. Gregory is the younger twin; more introverted and temperamental than Hans. after a traumatic incident when the twins were 12, he's become extremely attached to Hans. he rarely talks to people other than his brother and gets anxious when he's away from Hans for too long.
Russell
a stand-offish 17 year old. he was placed at St. Grimm’s as a last resort after repeated runaways from his home. not very trusting or talkative. almost always seen in his red hunting coat. sharp with a rifle, and provides most of the meat for the school's meals.
‘Blondie'
a new resident, who arrived 2 weeks before the twins did. a kleptomaniac and compulsive liar; he's sly and likes getting a rise out of people. hasn't told anyone his real name, so everyone just calls him Blondie. has lots of scars over his body that he claims to have gotten from improbable events. probably 17?
Alistair
a curious 13 year old boy with a vivid imagination. sent to the home due to his unwillingness to follow any societal norms or etiquette whatsoever. likes to read and has knowledge of things not typical for his age. has a kitten named Duke Chester von Kit.
'Basil'
a small boy of about 8 years old. he was found locked in his family’s tower attic in a state of malnutrition. due to neglect, he is mentally and emotionally stunted, and small for his age. he can vocalise but can't talk, and refuses to let anyone cut his ankle-length hair.
Gianluca
a 15 year old double amputee with prosthetic legs. he was placed in the home by the state after multiple citations for vagrancy and pickpocketing. you can hear him coming from a mile away due to his loud, distinctive stride. he tries to act like he's streetsmart, but he's really not. energetic and easily distracted. bad at lying.
the staff:
Father Briar
the priest in charge of the school. stern but fair, serves as the school's director and counsellor.
Brother Aubin
a former troublemaker who later turned to religion. the most lenient brother, serves as the school's nurse.
Brother Beauregard
a very handsome monk with a fierce temper. maintains the rose garden, serves as the school's cook.
Brother Asher
the youngest monk. sensitive and inexperienced, but very by-the-book. serves as the school's caretaker.
Jackson the groundskeeper
a former resident of the school from 13 to 18, after which Father Briar hired him as the groundskeeper. he does landscaping, repairs, and tends the animals. due to suffering brain damage during childhood, he’s extremely naive and gullible.
notes
so this is like the 3rd idea i've had for a vn haha but i just love dark fairytale derivatives what can i say. it's set in a nebulous not-quite-victorian but not-really-modern either kind of time.
pretty much just an idea at this point but i wanted to get everything organized and maybe some feedback.
i would like to make 2 or 3 endings which depend on how Hans interacts with everyone and how much he discovers. i do have backstories for all the boys though, so if i can get a writer or two to work with me, i would want to try adding different routes where you interact with one character more....maybe even some smooching...
questions??
i would love to have your feedback, even if you're not interested in playing!
which characters interest you the most?
if romance were to be added, which characters would you like to be romance-able?
what do you think is the weakest part of this concept?
what do you think is the most important aspect of this concept?
and just for fun, can you guess what fairytales the characters are based on? :v
) (Having one of the staff members be an option could be interesting too...)