The Mystery of Ravensgaer Manor
A Victorian Gothic Mystery and Interactive Game
Hi there!
Before you proceed, I'd like to take a moment to explain a bit about this project.
When @bflanigan came across the Team of Two Contest by @veryspider and @scrawly, he had an idea in mind for what he would like to do and needed a process partner who would complement his work.
@bflanigan, better known to some as HumbleBeaver, is very much into creating with 3D Modelling and techie gadgetry that is waaaay over my head. His idea was to make the preliminary set design for an interactive game. To get a better idea of what this involves, you might check out his post Making a game or interactive content in Blend4Web.
The theme for the Team of Two contest was to be GOTHIC!!!, in honor of all the spooky holiday stuff. I was intrigued by this idea because the definition of Gothic has so many permutations, from architecture and literature to music and style. I decided that I would contribute by writing a Victorian Gothic story. As part of the process, I wound up being a game tester, post writer and photo editor.
process pic - 3D blender design screen
Well, we both got extremely carried away to say the least. You know those freebie net games you download and take for granted? I now have a tremendous amount of respect for game developers, as I know how much time, patience and energy is spent on perfecting the simplest function.
process pic screenshot - "open object" game detail
What started out as a small contest project for burgeoned into something we might eventually continue in several installments, featuring a new room with continuing clues and storyline. Sorta like a Gothic Clue..
Both the interactive and story aspects are works in progress and are incomplete.
process pic screenshot - the unfinished book closet
Even though the Beaver is incredibly talented and industrious, much of his process was trial and error; making things clickable, adjusting the sound volume, adding in details from the story, making the raven move about and caw. With two weeks solid work, the interactive component is still very much in Alpha stage, so please keep this in mind when reviewing it.
process pic screenshot - adding in the walls
My process was a little different, because I wanted ideas that would hook the reader into the story, things I could build and layer as time passed and rooms were added on. I spent days just researching, developing ideas which I could develop into plot or character. Much of this got thrown out as too complicated or not fitting. Lots of rewriting. So ya maybe not so different. We try, and try again.
In any case, without further ado, I present:
@bflanagin ~ interactive 3D design and creation ~ Interactive Model Link
@torico ~ story, photo editing, writing
Death in Absentia
“The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?” ~ Edgar Allen Poe
The dreams came as they always did, in the bone weary hours between dark and light, in the hushed still of twilight. For it mattered not whether I slept or remained awake.
These visions seemed to be connected, as if I saw events through another's eyes. The same stark images marked my hallucinations.
Cold, so cold... the room I am in is deep, shadowlit by a few sparse candles along the shelves. I am in the library again, or is it a study? Strange that there is no fire. The books, there is need to preserve them. They line the walls like spectres at an event, their blank eyes staring at me as I pass.
screencap - bookcase detail
A dark stain, an overturned chair - are those drops of blood? a ticking clock grows louder with each step, as does the whistling roar of ocean waves beyond the window and the eerie howl of the wind. I hold a letter, yet I cannot seem to read the words, like codes in books whose clues remained hidden...
Suddenly, I hear furtive whispers behind the walls, sense the mal-intent. My heart pounds, knowing that I must find my brother. We are in danger! The sharp call of ravens with a score of flapping wings startles me out of my trance. Always I awake after this, for my fear knows no bounds.
screencap - corner and floor detail
It is of note that amongst our close family, nightmares have always been vivid; the abiding inheritance of a curse layed upon us by some crazed gypsy fortune teller, or so it was told. Until of late, I had been quite able to dismiss these occurrences as due to imagination, for the joy in my life had far overtaken the pain.
At first, the gentle portents I had pushed away as a sign of stress due to my husbands lingering illness, and later as anxiety, for despite the concerning events relayed to me by my brother in several letters, I could not assist in two places at once.
At what time the ravens began to follow me I was unsure, for I had been much preoccupied, yet once awoken to their presence, I sensed their watchfulness and curiosity. Some say the cyhyraeth reside within them, the lost souls of the damned, for to hear the ravens rattling call in the twilight is said by the healers to be a portent of death.
For this reason, I believed the ravens would depart once my husband passed over. Yet they remain, ever-present. Haunting my days with their mirth.
screencap - raven detail
And so it was with terrible dread that, in October of 1809 and soon after the passing of my much beloved late husband, I took fate into my hands by travelling by coach to the nether-regions of northern Cornwall. I had been invited by my dear brother, Captain Corbyn Renshaw, now the Lord of Ravensgaer, to live at his newly acquired manor.
28 January 1808
London, England
My dearest sister,
I write to you with greatest hope that this letter reaches you swiftly and finds you in good health. I pray that Edgar has regained some strength after his terrible ordeal...
You can scarce imagine the amazement I feel in announcing to you that His Royal Majesty, King George III, has awarded to me a minor baronetcy for my outstanding service in the Chesapeake affair! To be acclaimed as a war hero is no small feat, yet I find myself with much guilt and consternation as to why I should be singled out, for I acted only out of duty and a sense of compassion.
Whilst this appointment is a great honour I fear it isn't all it seems, for Ravensgaer Manor (the domicile attached to the title) is in northern Cornwall and by all accounts a derelict keep in need of many repairs. The natives are hostile to outsiders, and smuggling is many a mans rough trade. I scarce know what I shall do as I have no extra funds and no desire to leave the Sea for some crumbling edifice in the wilds.
My closest friends concur that this is an expedient political move by King and Court. My outspoken tendencies are well known, yet I am now beholden to support his Majesty's whims in the ongoing hostilities between France and Britain.
Alas, loyal subjects have little choice when given such "honour" by the King...
The intense consternation I sensed in Corbyn's letter disturbed me, as he was normally so placid and accepting. My anxiety over his mental constitution dictated a swift decision on my part, and given that my circumstances in life were much reduced by my husbands recent passing, the extreme gratitude at not being left homeless was so great that I ventured forth with all due haste. It eased my mind not at all that the ravens followed.
screencap - desk detail
The seven day sojourn to Cornwall gave me ample time to reflect on what lay ahead for me as an encumbered widow, so I took it upon myself to begin a journal to sort through recent events. Eventually I took some strange comfort in re-reading my brothers letters, and barely noticed the presence of the creatures who seemed to follow the coach, so entwined was I at that time in my grief.
11 September 1808
London, England
...lacking funds. To resolve this issue, the king has "requested" that I marry his ward, Lady Enid Morgan, late of Llanrumney, Wales - a young girl scarcely out of the schoolroom!
I am to be relegated to the coast of Cornwall near Lewinnick Cove, where I am to act as a representative; "protector of the southwestern coastline", so as to be of service to my King and Country during their time of need. For this I will receive a modest stipend, and with my future wife's settlement I hope to gain some niggling stature in the local community..
My dear brother, heretofore a stoic and humble man by all outward appearances, seemed increasingly bitter in his duplicitous misfortune. As I read on my apprehension increased.
screencap - ceiling detail
15 March 1809
Cardiff, Wales
My dearest sister,
I ask you to forgive me and beg of you to wish me well, for I have married. Although I would have dearly loved to have my only sister present, and in the chapel of our local parish, my bride requested that she be allowed to have her dear friends nearby. Since time is of the essence, and my new bride has much to adjust to already, I agreed to this.
We will be leaving post haste for Cornwall, as my duties commence at the end of July and I have much to set in order in the manse so that it is habitable.
I have been in London these past four months getting acquainted with my wife, Lady Enid. She is a quiet and dutiful lass who knows her place. The Morgan name seems to be connected to that infamous scoundrel, Sir Henry Morgan, former privateer and sometimes pirate, and although many generations have passed, certain associations give me cause for concern.
My wife has a twin, identical in looks but not temperament. Miss Cassandra Morgan has been against our bond as soon as it was created and caused quite a commotion at Court. A fey girl of sixteen, she yet refuses to marry, and has predicted no end of doom and unhappiness should her sister be parted from her.
His Royal Majesty, in his infinite wisdom, thought to end the matter by arranging for Cassandra to live with us until she married or came of age, for at her disposal is a most agreeable inheritance...
screencap - window detail
According to subsequent letters, whilst at first the situation proceeded as it should, with the passing of time and Corbyn's continued absence from the Ravensgaer due to his mounting duties, it became clear through his infrequent letters that strange events were occurring at the Manor.
A band of local smugglers and wreckers plagued the coastline. If that were not enough, Lady Cassandra, often of a melancholy turn, would disappear without a word for days, which caused Lady Enid to panic. Corbyn swore that objects would mysteriously appear or disappear, strange lights and sounds befell those who walked the halls alone. The servants refused to stay on, of course.
screencap - room detail, rear view
My visions increased daily, even though I attempted to steel my mind. Such was my foreboding at this point in my journey that I chose to tarry at St Clether upon the Moor so that I might partake of the blessed waters in the Holy Well - a token attempt to ward off any devil, should we chance to meet.
The next morning I awoke to a sky devoid of color, and had it not been for the heather on the Moor I would have believed my vision was failing. As we continued south towards St Minver, the rain began, making travel exceedingly arduous.
The hour was quite late when I finally reached the Manor. Although I knew the land had once been inhabited by Monks centuries before, I didn't realize that part of the original Abbey was still intact. Ravensgaer was built of local greenstone, mined nearby, and shone pale in the moonlight. I could see several spires, while a steepled arch marked the main entry.
No lights were on, and I began to worry what I should do if this voyage was all in vain, but several minutes knocking retrieved a most taciturn housekeeper by name of Mrs Pendogget, who insisted that no one was at home. After several minutes arguing, she admitted that while Captain Renshaw was at Sea, that perhaps the Lady might be within. She bid me wait in the foyer then and went off to look for Lady Enid.
After what seemed like at least a half hour, but was perhaps no more than half that, curiosity called me to explore a far door to see if I might find someone within. What I found was my nightmare... (to be continued)
screencap - room detail
If you haven't already, search the room for clues. Help me solve the mystery of what happened here! (p.s., work in progress)
A Conspiracy of Ravens
One for misfortune,
Two for mirth.
Three is a wedding,
Four is a birth.
Five is for riches,
Six is a thief.
Seven, a journey,
Eight is for grief.
Nine is a secret,
Ten is for sorrow.
Eleven is love,
Joy for tomorrow.
Thank you for reading and playing! We love comments! All proceeds will be split evenly between the beaver and the bunny.
Small update to the Interactive portion.
Bugs fixed:
oooh! goes to look words n stuff!
This is absolutely amazing
My mind is blown by the talents, creativity and awesomeness contained in your partnership :D
Absolutely freaking fantastic!
YOU BOTH ROCK
Thanks spider, we do what we can with what we have. Like torico said, we're going to keep the partnership going for as long as we can to see what happens. Maybe pull in some of the community to help, have a contest or two. That sort of thing.
thanks! we are gonna try to keep it going.. see what we can do.
Great setting/suspense build up for this gothic puzzle mystery! You're quite the writer @torico ;) Also impressed with what can be done with in-browser games. Nice work @bflanagin.
I only hope the library is up to the task. If you check out this post on my game dev account you can follow long with the development with this game and others.
thanks! i really should get my butt in gear and drop the next bit...
I wonder what will happen now that they're all in the same house, and the house has such character... and the ravens won't leave her alone. And what is the nightmare? Y'all seem to be having fun with this! Nice work. ;)
the nightmare is up top, her visions. what she is really seeing is that room. i need to choose who is actually there with her and who is missing and why. ty for your help!
Oh, how fun! What a wonderfully creative effort you have both put into this! Very impressive!
This is really impressive work so far! If the story line gets worked into the interactive game play, this could turn into a good game for thinking gamers, people who like to solve mysteries.
That's the plan. Of course the real challenge is making sure the game and the narrative work together seamlessly. I'm looking forward to seeing where the story goes so I can really dive into making the world come alive...or die as the case may be.
i need to really think about where im going with this story and the characters. it can take so many left turns and i cant decide which is best
It's too bad you couldn't do several variations on the story and use them in the game as different choices that the player can make. Whichever choice they make takes them down that path in the game.
Kind of like one of those multiple ending stories.
I've thought about that. It's still possible, considering I can't decide where the story should go, so maybe i will let the reader decide.
Programming wise that isn't that hard. Even if the story doesn't branch on major plot points little things like the order in which you visit rooms or solve puzzles can change the order of events enough to make the player feel like they are affecting the outcome.
My curiosity is a bit piqued, i admit. Carry on with this wonderful invention!
yay!!! thank you for reading!
Wow this is so cool, I love your art and writing style. Its interesting having a kind of horror type of game and very well done on the amount of work you have put into this, very impressive.
thanks so much kph, we put quite a bit of work into it and it still needs quite a bit of revision... but it feels good to finally post the first part!
Wow, this is really impressive so far! I can't imagine the time, let alone energy and passion that went into this! Love the raven pic at the very top of your post too :)
Thanks lynncoyle1, I worked on it when I had the time. But, yeah I bring whatever passion is left in me to whatever project I do. It feels good when people recognize it, of course its devastating when they don't. But such is life. I'm beaver by the way. :)
Nice to meet you beaver; I did have a feeling :)
Yes, as strong a feeling both ways too!
we had two weeks to complete the contest, but i think beaver put in more time than i did. Writing a story that feels real is 4 parts research, 2 parts thinking and planning, 2 parts writing and revision, and 2 parts doubting everything you've done is any good... The raven pic is actually is creative commons stock photo that i edited then put in an effects filter, I like to fiddle.
That's a lot of parts to make up one whole :) But to this:
Agreed! :)
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cool ty :)