Kaguya Hime is a free small visual novel for all ages, released on a chapter-by-chapter basis, one chapter per month.
I will be doing a series of these for as long as I can, based on folktales from Southeast and East Asia. Because I no longer have a job (thanks to ill health), I will be using stock art, stock music, and my own writing, coding, and image manipulation skills to bring these stories to life. During the time it takes for the six or so chapters of Kaguya Hime to be released, I hope to have enough art skills to create my own character art.
Patreon Rewards
My Patreon page is here: http://www.patreon.com/lifeislikeabadrpg
As far as I know, this is the first attempt at funding free visual novels through Patreon.
Rewards include:
$1+ My Undying Gratitude, and access to development posts.
$2+ Early Access (you receive chapters one month ahead of the free tier) and My Undying Gratitude
$10+ Name of your choice in the credits, Early Access, and Undying Gratitude.
$30+ Name of your choice + link in the credits, Early Access, and Undying Gratitude
$50+ Name of your choice + image + link in the credits, Early Access, and Undying Gratitude.
The milestones are a bit pie-in-the-sky. Dream big.
Differences from the Folk Tale
Kaguya Hime's backstory is explored and fleshed out, with larger focus on side characters like the Bamboo Cutter and the Emperor of Japan. More of Kaguya Hime's time on Earth is shown, and the princes (in this case, a prince, a princess, and a princen) do have a possibility of returning from their quests. Kaguya Hime will (if the player is willing) form relationships other than parental ones.
Additionally, the Bamboo Cutter is a single trans woman (though almost every character can be read as trans), and the Emperor of Japan is genderfluid.
And of course, the biggest difference: you can possibly get Kaguya Hime to stay on Earth with new friends and family, rather than break all ties on Earth and return to the Moon.
Same as the Folk Tale
Kaguya Hime is aromantic and asexual. This is a visual novel about platonic relationships, and how deeply they can affect people.
Preview
Release Status
Chapter 1 is scheduled for normal release in January 2015. (If you sign up for Early Access, you will additionally get Chapter 2 in January rather than February.)
Build Status
Chapter 1: 100% scripted, 50% coded. As this is the introductory chapter, there is actually just one rather important choice. Later chapters will have far more choices.
Chapters 2-6: 15% outlined.
Discussion Topics
How to improve patreon rewards? What would you like to see there?
Characters
Kaguya Hime
The only daughter of the Royal Family of the Moon, she seeks to explore and understand the Earth...; a decision that will bring her either great joy or great misery. As events unfold, the choices you make will affect her ending.
She is asexual, aromantic, and quite curious.
The Emperor of the Moon
As Kaguya Hime's father, he is opposed to the idea of his only daughter ascending to the Earth. His reasons are personal; will they get in the way of understanding the wishes of his daughter?
He is demisexual, biromantic, and holds dearly his loved ones.
Empress of the Moon
As Kaguya Hime's mother, she is no less caring about the fate of her daughter. She understands her daughter's wishes better than her husband, but is it enough to engender trust of her daughter's decision and strength?
She is demisexual, heteroromantic, and knows there are many ways to break a heart.
Dowager Empress of the Moon
As the mother of the Emperor of the Moon, the Dowager Empress holds a strange position in the family. Some say she is the true power behind the crown; others claim that she is the family seer. She says nothing, in public or private, about either possibility.
She is asexual, biromantic, and defies any definition of her role in life.
The Bamboo Cutter
While I encourage trans readings of every character in my visual novel, the Bamboo Cutter is explicitly a trans woman. Many would regard her life as troubled, if they knew; but even so, she remains determined to enjoy life to the fullest as revenge upon the people who wronged her in the past.
She is bisexual, biromantic, and one of the most honest people you'll ever meet.
The Princess from the Eastern Shore
She disavowed the heavy many-layered robes of her sisters and became, to her royal parents' dismay, an onmyōji of the government instead. Her prowess in onmyōdō is said to have averted natural disasters that would have killed many subjects. People respect her and fear her power.
She is homosexual, homoromantic, headstrong and meticulous in her reasoning.
The Princen from the Northern Islands
Gender presentation was never very important to co, even as the general of co's family's army. Most people see co as male-presenting because of co's role, but co scoffs at such ignorants. Co enjoys fighting in the field, and co's subordinates quail as much before co's battle might as they do before co's fierce dai-shogi game.
Co is undecided about co's sexuality, is definitely panromantic, and never backs down from any fight.
The Prince from the Western Shores
Known as the Prince of Courtiers, in his parents' court he is known to be cunning. Intelligent on the emotional spectrum, he prefers to show himself as a non-combatant, but that is a deception, for his tongue can cut deep. A very private person, he's disturbed to fall so deeply love with a distant maiden.
He thinks on reflection he is possibly heterosexual and heteroromantic; posseses a sharp yet silver tongue.
The Emperor of Japan
His family has been in power for a very long time and built up many powerful enemies that she holds at bay by being mysteriously resilient to assassination attempts. Is he an onmyōji? The Onmyō-ryō would really like to know, but her family's secrets are well-kept.
He is asexual, panromantic, and smiles a little too much for her officials' comfort.
CG Artist Hired!
I’ve hired an artist, Sayuui, for CG art for Kaguya Hime. These are special illustrations that are used for endings and to-be-continued art.
This will affect the pacing of some chapters, because I want each ending to be special. Yes, even the “bad” ones. But in return, you will get more story, which I will enjoy writing. Win/win, right?
