Before the Storm – 2025/04/20 – DEVLOG#1

This is it. The beginning of something I’ve carried in my head for far too long.

Welcome to the very first version of Rise of the Monarch. It’s not perfect — far from it — but it’s real. And it finally exists outside of my mind.

I’ve poured a lot into this: time, doubts, rewrites, late nights, and (way) too much coffee. Now, I’m both excited and a little terrified to share this first glimpse with you.

 What you’ll find in this version

• The Prologue – A city burns. A child is left behind. And something ancient whispers in the smoke.
• Chapter One – You wake in a strange manor. You meet the first faces who may become allies, rivals… or something in between.
• Early interactions – Amaranth, Saori, Sasha, and Yuno each have a few moments with you. Simple, but meaningful — if you take the time to look.
• Prototype systems – Map, menus, and navigation are all here in a basic form, laying the foundation for what’s to come.

A note on the story

The path you're about to walk isn’t random. The story of Rise of the Monarch is already written far ahead — with a clear direction and a narrative thread that spans at least three major acts.

What you’re playing now is just the first crack in the world — the beginning of a journey that will grow deeper, darker, and more personal over time.

Every character you meet, every choice you make — they matter more than you think.

A note from me

I won’t pretend this is a polished demo. But it’s a beginning. A fragile one, maybe — but beginnings don’t need to be perfect. They just need to exist.

This is also my very first attempt at using Blender to create environments and backgrounds. I’m still learning — and what you’ll see visually is very much early alpha. But I chose to include them anyway, even in their rough form, because they help shape the world I see in my head.

What you’re playing is a reflection of that world’s very first heartbeat — a world I hope you’ll want to explore, feel, and lose yourself in.

A world that grows darker, the deeper you go.

What’s ahead?

For now, I’m focused on taking things step by step, learning as I go, and building something that feels alive. The path is long — but don’t worry. It’s already drawn.

– ZephyrA