The Earth Has Teeth [WIP Demo]

This is a text-based work in progress. I'd love to hear what you think here, through the feedback form, on the development forum, or  on Tumblr. Thank you for your interest! You can also play the game on the cogdemos site where you can view the code if you wish.

Heal the wilds and survive magical storms while protecting your dying god!

A century ago, the tiger god Vastan fought a risen demon over the steppes and mountains that are your home, battling for mastery over the earth below. Their war poisoned the land, causing magical storms that twist the mind and the elements alike.

At the moment of Vastan’s eventual triumph she was grievously wounded, retreating beneath the mountains to be cared for by a sect of worshippers known as the Guardians of Tulara.

You are one of those Guardians: a scout who ventures from the secretive monastery to hunt, forage, and trade with those living on the plains below. Protected from the storms by Vastan’s power even as she sleeps, you care for your wounded god in your small, safe community.

Until today.

• Play as male, female, or non-binary; cis or trans; gay, straight, or bisexual; asexual and/or aromantic; allosexual and/or alloromantic; monogamous or polyamorous

• Befriend, romance, clash with, or destroy an ambitious, stubborn magic enthusiast with a lot to prove; a hard-bitten courier determined to be self-reliant while looking after their own; a haughty, visionary herbalist obsessed with preserving knowledge and their collection even when it’s frustrating; an outgoing, no-nonsense guard with a strong protective streak; a fast-talking witch-turned-con-artist who might have a heart of gold somewhere.

• Survive the storms: use your skills and knowledge to help the communities on the steppes–or only yourself

• Unearth dark secrets on the steppes: will you share them with the world, or bury them once more?

• Build your relationship with your dying god and rebuild her power, or use it for your own ends

• Give of yourself or others for the greater good, persuade your god to different paths, or rebel against her entirely

When the storm hits, what are you willing to sacrifice?

Content Notes:

By the nature of the content notes, some story elements may be spoiled. Not all the notes below apply to the current demo.

Paths through the game can include cruelty and violence to humans and magical animals, including blood, gore, injury, and death; dead bodies; duststorms; floods; dysphoria; earthquakes; landslides and avalanches; recreational alcohol and drug use; starvation; ritual skin-cutting; trauma responses; wildfires; various other environmental hazards and disasters.

Some paths contain optional sexually explicit scenes. These can be played through in detail, or played as fade-to-black.