In tracing the roots of my creative journey, I find myself transported back to the dial-up internet era of my youth, where hours spent on forum websites hosting role-playing games ignited the spark of my artistic passion. One such virtual realm, Byzinic, became my canvas for storytelling, albeit with characters and narratives in their nascent form. The shutdown of these sites marked the end of an era, but not before a friend, Stephanie, preserved the essence of those imaginative stories.

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Reflecting on my early attempts at design and storytelling, I acknowledge the simplicity of characters within Byzinic. Yet, it was the richness of plotlines and events that lingered in my mind. When embarking on my own game development journey, I sought to capture the essence of those childhood narratives, leading to the birth of the Barrens—a renaissance of Byzinic, refined and evolved.

 

 

I embarked on a journey to reshape and expand the world enveloping my characters, refining storylines and personas. Amid this process, a particular character, Runohr (a god), emerged as a narrative focal point. Initially, my game was centered around his journey—a quest for redemption after slaying his mortal lover. The storyline was dark, mature, engaging, and compelling. However, when I shared this narrative with a friend, a critical flaw surfaced. Runohr's lover, a key figure in the story, lacked identity; she was formless, and devoid of substance. She did not even have a name.

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This realization led me to confront a troubling literary trope known as "fridging," where female characters endure violence to propel a male character's narrative. Disappointed by unintentionally embodying this trope, the project took an unexpected turn as I set out to revamp the character, spending over a month imbuing her with purpose and identity.

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The result was Sopatra—a character brimming with brilliance, family values, strengh, and stubbon resilience. She is a powerful individual with a distinct identity. In the process, I fell in love with her story, and knew it needed to be told first, prompting a shift in focus. Sopatra, alongside her father Driēs, leaders of the Sunlight's Caste, takes center stage in Sovereignty. Sopatra grapples with adversity as her father falls mysteriously ill, leaving their tribe vulnerable to external threats. In this desperate scenario, Sopatra becomes the driving force, striving to save her father and maintain prosperity for the Sunlight's Caste.

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This project, born from the desire to revamp an old idea and create a game with compelling characters, has evolved into a profound exploration of identity, agency, and the consequences of narrative choices. Sopatra's journey represents a commitment to meaningful storytelling, where characters transcend tropes, and their stories resonate on a deeper level.