tw: mentions of death, suicide and kidnapping.
The Ward of Witcombe manor is a well known story to both paranormal enthusiasts and fans of unsolved mysteries. A true tale of rags to riches, they went from living on the streets of London as a child to living the life of luxury after being taken in by Lord Witcombe. For over ten years they lived with the Lord and his family in Little Winsley, before tragedy struck and life was forever changed for those in the manor.
It was early in a June morning, in the year 1847. The Ward had not joined the family for breakfast, and thinking that they might be under the weather, Witcombe’s wife, Isabella, heads up to their room to check on them - only to find both bed and room empty, as were the house and grounds. The Ward was officially declared missing. Months would go by, with Lord Witcombe never giving up on his search for them, though it was all in vain and no sign of his ward was ever found.
Many theories have come about in the many years since the disappearance of the Ward, from suicide to a kidnapping gone wrong. However, the most popular theory is that Andrew Witcombe, the son of Lord and Lady Witcombe, was behind the Ward’s disappearance. It is rumoured that he was not as happy with the ward’s presence as his parents were, and so jealous with the attention they received and scared his inheritance would be taken from he, he disposed of the Ward.
Nothing has ever been proven, with the mystery remaining unsolved to this day. However, it’s said that the portrait of the Ward that remains hanging in Witcombe manor is haunted by their spirit, and that their ghosts forever walks the halls that they once lived, desperate to tell their story.
Thursday’s Child is an upcoming romance/slice of life ChoiceScript game very very loosely based on the story of Sleeping Beauty.
You play as the Ward of a wealthy lord in Victorian England, who gets trapped in their very own portrait by the lord’s jealous son. Like most curses however, yours had an expiry date. Now free from living life like a ghost, you have to navigate the changes that come with life 200 years after you last physically walked the earth.
A customisable MC. Decide your name, gender, appearance, personality and pronouns (separate from gender).
Build new relationships with a diverse cast of characters. Enter one of seven potential relationships open to any and all genders (including two polyamorous routes and one queerplatonic route), or build the platonic found family of your dreams.
Come to terms with your new life in the modern world. What the hell in an “internet”? And should you be learning more about it or running for the hills whenever it’s mentioned?
Live out your cottage-core fantasy. Eat homemade bread and jam for breakfast, assist the local beekeepers in collecting honey, ride horses, go on picnics and collect eggs from pride flag coloured chicken coops amongst other things.
Deal with your “killers” ghost. Turns out he isn’t too happy with you being alive again and has returned to right that. Shouldn’t be too hard to deal with though, right? Right?
And much more to be discovered in game.
Note: While meant to be more lighthearted and easygoing, this game and blog will potentially be dealing with themes surrounding death and violence. Any and all content that needs it will be tagged appropriately beforehand.
Characters and Links below the cut!
