"The Exalt of Idwall once dedicated her life to the study of Aether, but now has more pressing matters; a mutilated king, a throne that was never meant to be hers, and a man who is the last of his kind. Her story was burned to ash and the pages are all but smeared across lies and rumors. Yet, I still remember..."
Aether Skies tells the story of the destruction of Idwall. A kingdom paying for their use of aether during their war of conquest. They have few allies and are in a weakened state with the recent attack on their king who was delivered to them in a blooded crate. Though he survived the assault he was deemed unfit to rule and his older sister inherited the throne. As the memoir unfolds you choose to witness the story as the inheriting Exalt or as the Scion Eir, a man who is the last of his kind haunted by aether.
Character Profiles
The Exalt
It was never meant to yours. That’s what even the people of your court tell you to your face as your parade in the game of politics and lies as their ruler. This wasn’t meant to be your life. Your younger brother gave you the freedom to choose your passion and your love. Now, it’s all gone. You’re left on your pedestal holding the broken and shattered pieces of your country from a war tormented by the Scion’s curse, while emissaries from the north threatens to take your crown, and your brother’s mutilation and mental retardation is left unsolved. Now there’s him, the Scion, the last of his kind.
Scion Eir
Running, that’s the only thing you’re truly good at. You spent your life living in fear of your “gift”. Yet, “Aether is a curse”, it always has been. The way it also seems to find you and torment the ones you care about keeps you ever drifting. You were tricked in believing from the nomads that there was a way to control the aether. Stop it from destroying everything that you had ever grown attached too. The warm arms of the oracle Sophea were just another face that you scared. Keep your feet moving and your head low. That’s the only way to survive.
Gameplay
Aether Skies has choice driven game-play, where you choose a character to start with. As you play the memoir not only do your choices influence one character, but both in dynamic ways. There is a default game start that each character begins with. If you choose to start the story with Eir you will make choices that influence his life. When you finish the story and go onto the Exalt's side you see how the choices you made with Eir affect Reina and provoke difference responses. You can always choose to replay with a blank slate or you can import your play through after finishing the story. The focus isn't on different endings, but on different journey to the same destruction of Idwall. The kingdom is doomed. Do you play to save one character, save each, or save the kingdom? The end results are all tied up in choices you get to choose.
Features
Aether Skies: Scion currently contains over 40,000 words and over 100 choices and counting.
CG's in game (4 in first chapter alone)
4 Romance Options (Previews to come)
An alternative reading font
Choices can be selected with number keys
Quick Save and Load option
Progress: Post Last Updated Oct 28, 2018
End Notes
The game can be split into two different releases Aether Skies: Scion and Aether Skies: Exalt where the playable character is in the name. I'm working out the details on how to import the data from each game.
Talking Points Suggestions
Which is your favorite character so far?
Did you play the original demo, and if so what were your thoughts?
What drew you to this post?