For those who are already familiar with Basiliska, this story jumps back about two and a half years in the past and across an ocean to mainland Sisrhein, where Duchess Anneliese Reinhardt is contemplating war between Sisrhein, the colonies, and Sisrhein's political rival Pirineus. Forced into a corner by opposing factions of the Sisrhenish Diet, she seeks advice from a famous sorceress and apothecary named Antonia Lerchenfeld. Antonia happens to be her ex-lover Iris's old mentor—but perhaps this tenuous connection is just what she needs to resolve the crisis at hand.
For newcomers to Basiliska, here's what to expect:
- Magic!
- Politics!
- Social manipulation!
- Tragic lesbian romance (???)
Anneliese Reinhardt is the protagonist of sorts, a Pirinean-born noble who was married to Duke Reinhardt of Sisrhein during the peace negotiations of a previous war. She is clever, calculating, politically invulnerable, and carries the fate of some of the most powerful countries in the world on her delicate shoulders. Lately, however, it seems that things haven't been going so well for her.
Antonia Lerchenfeld is the matriarch of a sorcerer family from Sisrhein that traces its roots back to the country of Westeria. She is Iris's old mentor and a famous apothecary who has devoted her life to the study of magic and medicine. Similarly to her old student, she tends to be evasive, intimidating, and a little mean-spirited at times—but unlike Iris she is remarkably warmhearted so long as you ignore the fact that she's probably mocking you to your face.
Concepts were done by Clua!
Progress
So far there's an outline, some concept sketches, and... that's it. :'D I'm aiming for a demo by March 31st. The demo will not reflect the final product; it's going to feature a lot of my lousy rough sketches, heavy use of ATL and decent writing underneath all of that hopefully. More details to come as I figure everything out.
Good luck to everyone this year!
3/2/2016: I've started writing the script! Here's a sample:
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t "There's no need to flatter me. I know why you're here."
#Anneliese's smile fades. She looks more alert.
n "Do you?"
t "Why else? Because of Iris. You're perfectly healthy; you have no ties to any of the major sorcerer families; and you cared not one whit for the troubles of magical people until you met her… or so I've been led to believe."
n "She's six months gone."
t "And you have a great big mess to clean up in her wake, don't you?"
n "How much do you know?"
t "Only what I've been able to glean from hearsay and the news. Iris was cursed, and then thrown into prison, and then after her sentence ended, she left for Algonia, and all of that due to your influence."
#Anneliese looks away, distant.
n "Is that what they've been saying?"
t "You would be the first to know, I would think."
n "Do you believe them?"
t "Does it matter what I believe?"
n "Hm."
#Anneliese smiles, tight.
n "You sound just like her."