ParrotWatcher

Hi! Welcome to my Tumblr. This page is designed to act as an index for all of my games.

ChoiceScript games:

Totem Force (complete):

The story of an ordinary high school student who breaks into a government research facility and frees a genetically modified lifeform who gives them super powers. Mainly comedic and light-hearted. 260,000 words, with an average playthrough length of 73,000. Content warnings for temporary loss of bodily autonomy; non-consensual kiss; potential MC death. (Cover art by Sen Versum.)

Buy the game here, or check out the posts on this Tumblr.

The One Chosen (WiP, on hiatus):

The story of an orphaned runaway who is taken in by a magical society and declared the Chosen One, destined to defeat the Dread Demon Lord in but a few years. Without getting into too many spoilers, this isn’t completely accurate. Somewhat darker in tone. Currently 355,000 words, with an average playthrough of over 155,000. Content warnings for mental abuse from a foster father; kidnapping, and temporary loss of bodily autonomy.

Play the current game here, or check out the posts on this Tumblr.

Visual Novels:

Unearth Your Gays (complete):

The story of a young man who ends up staying with four other good looking young guys... but do they have skeletons in their closets? The game contains 20,000 words, and was written in two months for itch.io’s YaoiJam 2020. Content warnings for abusive relationship/grooming (as part of an RO’s backstory); depression; and death. (Only male/male romance.)

Play the game here, or check out the posts on this Tumblr.

Lovecraft Academy (WiP, on hiatus):

The story of an American teenager sent across the ocean to a British boarding school, where he finds many friendly boys, and many dark mysteries. The current demo contains 27,000 words. Content warnings for mentions of corporal punishment; potential MC death. (Only male/male romance.)

Play the current game here, or check out the posts on this Tumblr.

Console RPGs:

Hub of the World (WiP):

Four hundred years after the Great Cataclysm, two close friends from an isolated mountain village discover a mysterious girl shortly before their village is attacked... The current demo has about 2 hours worth of gameplay. Content warnings for character death. (Main romance is male/male, but will contain other potential pairings between secondary characters.)

Get the current game here, or check out the posts on this Tumblr.

Other Links:

ParrotWatchers Discord, where you can discuss my games.

Large and rubbery, the gumberoo (Ursus explosivum) is a constant threat in remote woodlands, not due to its temper, which is calm and even friendly, but rather due to its unfortunate habit of exploding at the slightest provocation. Keeping the gumberoo is a difficult challenge, as it must be kept far from fire, annoying sounds, and even spicy foods, combined with its ravenous hunger (the beast can eat a horse a day, and that's on the low side), but if you take the challenge, you will have made a friend for life, short though that may be.

— Rufy

(Author’s note: Not currently in the game. This is another of the American fearsome critters, lumberjack folklore from the late 19th/early 20th Century. The gumberoo's hide is too think to be pierced by any normal weapons, but it is easily killed by fire, and indeed sometimes just explodes on its own.)

Download Hub of the World (RPG Demo) here.

What is a rainbow? A mere light refraction pattern? The gleam from a leprechaun's gold? Or maybe you've just seen a hong (Long jiang). These multicoloured dragons live far above the ground, feeding on light and small insects, and only ever descending to the ground in stormy weather. Finding a hong to befriend is hard, and convincing it to stay with you is harder, but do not try to force it; it will attack with the force of a thousand thunderbolts. Oh, and whatever you do, never point at a hong, not even to find out why you shouldn't.

— Rufy

(Author’s note: Not currently in the game. For Pride Month, I decided to do the most rainbow-themed mythical beast I could find. Hong [虹], also pronounced jiang, is the Chinese word for a rainbow, and is also seen as a two-headed dragon. The hong was often seen as a bad omen, not just indicative of rainy weather, but also seen as a symbol of adultery or fornication.)

Download Hub of the World (RPG Demo) here.

The carcolh (Helix giganticus) is a common sight across most of the world, but do not be fooled by its slow speed and friendly face. The carcolh is a voracious eater, and while it generally only eats thing it can move faster than (i.e. plants), its mucus is very sticky, can be launched from a very far distance, and if you can't run away from it, you're food now. Keeping a carcolh may seem easy, until it climbs the wall up to your bedroom and eats you in your sleep. Always remember to enclose the carcolh in a ring of salt, and pray it doesn't rain.

— Rufy

(Author’s note: Not currently in the game. The Carcolh, or Lou Carcolh, is a creature from French folklore: an immense snail that inhabits the caves under the town of Hastingues and devours any who get too close. In addition, other giant snails are often seen in medieval pictures, suggesting that such things were once far more widespread [or maybe the artists were just trying to depict their own garden wars against the more normal size of snail].)

Download Hub of the World (RPG Demo) here.

The joint snake (Micrurus fragmentus) is a particularly unusual serpent. It is easily capable of shedding any part of its body and then reattaching it without issue. Indeed, as it still has control over the detached segments, it can use them to catch prey or lead predators away. It must, however, reattach at least a few segments before it feeds, or its prey will just slide out of its throat and escape. It's generally pretty calm and friendly when kept as a pet, but beware of missing segments. Just remember the rhyme: "Red, yellow, black: everything's slack; red, yellow, red: WAIT, WHERE DID THAT SEGMENT GO?! GAAAAAAH!!!"

— Rufy

(Author’s note: Not currently in the game. The joint snake is an American cryptid, likely a misunderstanding of how some lizards [including some legless lizards, but no true snakes] will shed their tails to escape predators, although even these will not reattach afterwards. I based the design on the coral snake, the dangerous red/black/yellow snake, which does indeed have rhymes to tell it apart from its safe lookalike, the kingsnake.)

Download Hub of the World (RPG Demo) here.

The bat (Desmodus monstrus) is… well, it's a bat. It flies around in the dark, eating small insects, fruit, or animal blood, attacks with sonic shrieks, and is very friendly and sweet. Warning: some bats are rabid, so if they bite you… uh… maybe see a healer?

— Rufy

(Author’s note: Not currently in the game. Bats are very common as monsters in RPGs, despite just being normal animals. But they are a very good low-level thing to put in underground areas. Sometimes they are given poisonous or sound-based attacks to at least differentiate them from real-life bats, but sometimes they just fly around being annoying.)

Download Hub of the World (RPG Demo) here.

The panther (Panthera panthera) is one of the most curious predators known. Its flowery hide and sweet scent belie its danger, as they both hide it from sight and at the same time bewitch the mind of any nearby prey, drawing them to their doom, while the panther just sits and waits. Keeping a panther is no easy challenge, as all of the tricks it uses to hunt its prey also work on humans. (Indeed, to most panthers, we are prey.) It is recommended that you raise your panther from a kitten, and preferably not have a sense of smell. (Note: reports of a so-called "black" panther are still being investigated.)

— Rufy

(Author’s note: Not currently in the game. "Panther" supposedly comes from the Greek for "all beasts", and while some versions of the legendary panther were indeed depicted as composite creatures, most depict it as a large cat. This is a rather unusual case of mythical beasts sharing a name with real ones, as the legendary panther is far less well known than its namesake, to such an extent that most people have likely never heard of it. Also, this is my 52nd bestiary post, meaning that I've been posting monsters here for a whole year now. How the time flies...)

Download Hub of the World (RPG Demo) here.

Floating serenely among the clouds, the atmospheric jellyfish (Cyanea nebulus) is not rare, but never easy to spot. They feed on small insects, but are generally to be avoided, due to the incredibly potent venom in their cloudlike tentacles. As young, they grow attached to rocks in mountainous terrain, and any prospective keeper should attempt to find them at this stage in their life. Unfortunately, their lighter-than-air nature and lack of any real mind make them rather hard to keep as a pet.

— Rufy

(Author’s note: Not currently in the game. There are a lot of recorded sightings of jellyfish-like objects in the sky, dating back to at least the 1970s. These atmospheric jellyfish are sometimes considered cryptids, but are likely just due to various atmospheric effects, some potentially due to human space travel.)

Download Hub of the World (RPG Demo) here.

The tripodero (Tripodis sputus) is a strange beast. It uses its extensible legs and stiff tail to steady itself and then spits a small stone or ball of earth at its prey with such speed and unerring accuracy that it is near impossible to escape. Exactly how it extends and retracts its legs is still a mystery, but it is speculated to be a combination of a very intricate skeletal structure and a very rubbery skin. They are generally pretty easy to keep as pets, as long as you don't mind potentially losing your best china to their target practice.

— Rufy

(Author’s note: Not currently in the game. The tripodero is another American fearsome critter, creatures created as tall tales by late 19th/early 20th Century lumberjacks. Its exact appearance is variable, with some descriptions looking more avian, and others looking more like camels. Some have three legs, replacing the tail as the third, and others even have four, which seems to defeat the point of a "tripod"ero...)

Download Hub of the World (RPG Demo) here.

Few plants are more feared than the jubokko (Jubokko sanguinus). A tree which is heavily bled upon will develop a taste for blood, and will grow in such a way as to gather more blood. Its branches morph into spearlike thorns, its roots into tangling vines, as its leaves gain the colour of its primary food. Eventually it will be able to grasp at any nearby animals, draining their fluids and leaving them a dessicated husk on the ground below. Unfortunately, the amount of blood needed to birth a new jubokko makes it pretty much impossible to grow your own. Instead, it is recommended that prospective owners search battlefields and places of execution for the telltale red leaves. It is also recommended only for experienced monster tamers; far too many amateurs lose their lives to its branches.

— Rufy

(Author’s note: Not currently in the game. The jubokko is another traditional Japanese yokai. Except it probably isn't actually traditional. As far as I can tell, the first appearance of the jubokko is in GeGeGe no Kitaro by Shigeru Mizuki [a 1960s manga based on older stories and myths]. Usually I would not include explicitly fictional monsters, but the jubokko has appeared in many other works since, including the TV series Grimm and even the Call of Duty videogame series. NOTE: edited because I accidentally included the catoblepas text as well.)

Download Hub of the World (RPG Demo) here.

Those who dwell in the marshes of the worlds learn quickly to avoid the catoblepas (Bos veneficus). This large bovid has powerful muscles, large horns, and a disagreeable temperament, and is generally said to be one of the most unpleasant creatures around. It is often said that staring into its baleful eye will instantly kill you, but this is thought to be mere superstition; what actually kills you is the catoblepas's toxic breath. Keeping a catoblepas is not recommended for beginners. The aforementioned temperament and poison are both difficult to deal with, but more importantly, due to its thick mane and inability to raise its head, the catoblepas is unable to see where it's going, and will often walk into unprotected objects, destroying them and hurting itself.

— Rufy

(Author’s note: Not currently in the game. The catoblepas is another creature from ancient bestiaries. It is likely to have been originally one of various African bovids, including the wildebeest, and this is supported by the lowered head that gives the animal its name. In addition to deadly eyes and poison breath, some authors also give the catoblepas the ability to breath fire...)

Download Hub of the World (RPG Demo) here.

The snipe (Gallinago ludoiocus) is a very rarely seen bird. Although not uncommon, it is capable of changing its appearance to fit in with any environment, and is thus practically invisible. The best way to catch a snipe is to go out into the wilderness making the snipe's local mating call (which always sounds very stupid to the untrained ear) and to grab it with a bag. Sadly they will most likely escape before the hunter returns with them. Suggestions that one should shoot (or "snipe") them from long distance are to be ignored; this is likely to hurt the poor creatures.

— Rufy

(Author’s note: Not currently in the game. The snipe is a real bird, but due to being small and brown and living in large brown marshes, it is very hard to hunt. Consequently, it could only be hunted by the best marksmen, or "snipers". Meanwhile, it was used as the basis for the "snipe hunt" practical joke, in which the victim was talked into going out in search of a snipe, albeit with a far more fanciful description than "small brown bird". This mythical variant could be large, brightly coloured, or not even a bird. Naturally, the victim would never catch it, but would instead spend the night wandering aimlessly with an empty bag.)

Download Hub of the World (RPG Demo) here.

Small and pale, the huoshu (Mus flammae) is a rodent well known for its ability to survive in the heat of its volcanic homes, and for the ability to breathe flames, likely evolved as a defence mechanism. The houshu is a very docile creature, often farmed by salamanders for its fireproof (and very beautiful) fur, and indeed often kept as a pet, too. Granted, salamanders are themselves fire-resistant, and often live in the same volcanic caverns as the houshu, so for those of us who are, wear, and live in flammable things, it is to be kept with great caution, and an easily-accessible water supply.

— Rufy

The basilisk (Basilikus coronatus), or serpent king, is one of the most feared reptiles in the world. Its fangs drip deadly venom, poisoning the ground it travels over, its blood is equally toxic, with even a drop killing near-instantly, and its gaze can petrify almost anything with a near-unlimited range. It is easily recognisable by the crown-like crest on top of its head, but if you're close enough to see it, it's probably already too late. Now, raising your own basilisk can be a bit of a challenge, partly due to the sheer amount of equipment needed (special mirrored goggles, full body protective suit, several friends with healing magics) but even more so because of their very picky natures. They eat less than 1% of what they kill, hate strong smells, need a very precise temperature for their enclosure, and have a nasty habit of accidentally turning themselves to stone when they see their own reflection.

— Rufy

(Author’s note: Not currently in the game. The basilisk is a very well known monster, with accounts dating back at least to Pliny. As mentioned in that monster's entry, the basilisk and cockatrice were originally different names for the same creature, but more modern legends have diverged the two, with the cockatrice keeping the chicken design elements, and the basilisk remaining more completely reptilian. Also, exactly how the basilisk kills its prey is variable, with some varieties breathing fire or releasing a toxic miasma around themselves.)

Download Hub of the World (RPG Demo) here.

If you're out late at night, and you're quiet and very lucky, you might come across one of the rarest creatures in the world: the elusive nightcrawler (Ambunoctis fresnosis). This elusive beast is mostly unknown. How does it breed? What does it eat? Even where it goes during the day is a mystery. Due to this, I am afraid I cannot tell you how to look after your own nightcrawler, but I am doing everything I can to discover the truth for you.

— Rufy

(Author’s note: Not currently in the game. The Fresno nightcrawler is a relatively new cryptid, only first sighted in 2007, in Fresno, California. Despite its recency and low number of sightings, it has gained a cult status, both in Fresno and around the world. It is also almost certainly a hoax, but a. that applies to most cryptids; and b. where's the fun in that?)

Download Hub of the World (RPG Demo) here.