Death of an Optimist
Project Overview
Death of an Optimist is an original video game project by kiskutnya.
This project is still in the early stages of development. If you're chosen, you'll be invited to a Discord server where you can receive updates on the game and interact with everyone else working on it!
It follows the protagonist, Oscar Salvatore, as he attempts to decipher the mysteries surrounding the sleepy English town of Stonewyck. From mysterious disappearances and murders to supernatural occurrences, Oscar is determined to figure out a way out of this place no matter what.
The game is set in the year 1844 and revolves heavily around themes of trauma, abuse, recovery, healing, forgiveness, family, and friendship.
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Age | 22
Gender | Trans male (He/him)
Accent | Irish (not picky about region or strength)
Voice | Raspy, hoarse, and mid-range. Speaks with great fervor and passion and tends to be quite teasing and mocking.
Just like a blazing flame, Lucky is a passionate and reckless character who guards himself from weakness.
Brash and reckless, Lucky approaches every day and scenario with boundless rigor. Like a burning forest fire, very few things could douse his energy. Of course, like a flame, many who try to get close to Lucky end up burning themselves. His thoughtless behavior and manner of speech often leave him spouting out vulgarities and insults that would make any good mother clutch their pearls in horror.
- english
- energetic
- Sly
- Passionate
- video game
- Rough
- mischievous
- Scratchy
- male young adult
- irish
Hah! Right, like I'd listen to someone like you!
Hah? What? You want me to help? Really?
Heh heh... I suppose you could say I have talents in that area...
Age | 24
Gender | Cis male (He/him)
Accent | English (relatively posh, but this is a front)
Voice | Gentle and kind with a hint of expression and passion. Mid-range to slightly higher. Speaks very softly and gently, but sometimes gets a bit excited.
With benevolence and a warm smile, Oscar is welcoming and helpful to all who cross his path. He's always more than eager to help anyone in need, stranger or no. After all, what is a stranger if not a future friend?
He approaches every situation with an encouraging smile and eyes filled with affectionate warmth. Always bringing new ideas to the table, Oscar’s creative brain is able to quickly fire off inventive ideas for stories, plays, poems, or nearly anything that needs to be adapted to the situation. With his journal and pen always close by him, he’s able to quickly jot down the most important ideas that strike him in moments of inspiration - Whether that be found during a morning stroll, overhearing an interesting conversation, or seeing a lost item that causes his mind to wander about the journeys that have led it to its current place and time.
He creates and shares these ideas enthusiastically, using it to fire off suggestions and solutions to those around him in their times of need to see which of his suggestions stick or not. Clearly impersonal in nature, he tries not to take rejections of his ideas to heart, as he can easily just come up with another based on the feedback provided, given that he is in the mindset to do so.
Despite this, it is clear he approaches situations with overzealous tactlessness. He believes that he, alone, can be the one to solve a problem or fix a solution. Even though he is often successful in his task to help others, it is inevitable that occasional failures will happen. Through this, anyone can clearly see this glaring weakness of his - his irresponsibility. He willingly places the sole burden of responsibility for others upon his own shoulders, hyping himself up as being “the one” who is able to swoop in and save the day, completely failing to see that, in doing this, he is inevitably setting himself and everyone around him up for disappointment and failure when he is unable to live up to their expectations.
It’s not even as if Oscar can put the blame on others for this, no, and he knows that very well. With each failure that hits him like a blow to his chest, he can only muster a weak apology as he promises to himself and everyone around him that, next time, he will do better. He can do better. He has to. After all, if he is unable to save everyone from their own problems, big or small, how can he be sure that he’ll be saved at all?
- english
- male young adult
- british
- english (british)
- video game
- Soft
- kind
- friendly
- warm
- energetic
- Gentle
I-I know how it feels, but we mustn't lose hope!
Ah... It's still so foggy outside. Well, at least we don't have to deal with the heat.
I'll try my best to put as much good into the world as I can!
Age | 23
Gender | Trans female (She/her)
Accent | English
Voice | Lively, bright, and cheerful. Clementine speaks in a way where you can hear her smile through every word. Though she's quite refined and proper, she is also incredibly expressive.
Kind-hearted and filled with joy as warm as the bright sun, Clementine is a cheerful and expressive character who wants nothing more than to live her life the way she wants to - no if, ands, or buts!
Carrying herself with a ladylike demeanor, Clementine was raised in an aristocratic family, constantly feeling the weight of societal expectations on her shoulders. Every day was simply another trial of her "proper-ness", leaving no room for play or fun. Constantly scolded for her energetic nature and put down for her love of the outdoors, these expectations eventually grew too much. What kind of life would she be living if she never let herself break free and live how she truly wants to?
Clementine lives every day as if it was her last. She wishes to know no regrets, living a life where she's as free as a bird, soaking in the warmth of the sun and feeling the warm dirt and grass beneath her feet. She spreads her enthusiasm to everyone she meets, treating all strangers with courtesy and kindness.
Despite this, her own selfish desires can sometimes get in the way of her judgement, causing her to act quite brashly and ignorant towards others.
- english
- british
- Extrovert
- Cheerful
- female young adult
- video game
- warm
- expressive
- energetic
- Extroverted
- english (british)
Wha?! HUUUH?! Woah, woah! That seems like a huge responsibility... Are you sure I'm cut out for that?!
Hmmm... Well, I certainly can't pass up an opportunity such as this one~!
Ahhh... A butterfly! Sooo cuuuute~! Painted ladies are some of my favorites~!
Age | 26
Gender | Cis male (He/him)
Accent | English (quite posh, but I'm not picky)
Voice | Speaks with a dark, bitter tone almost always. Despite this, his voice is quite soft and quiet, though his envy and anger is palpable through every word. He sometimes speaks with a biting tone.
Bitter and resentful, Peter is someone who outright refuses to recognize the beauty and joy within life. Wallowing in hopelessness and suffering, he believes it is the only “true” way to create meaningful art, whether that be through painting, poetry, or otherwise. He has been this way ever since he was a young child, trapped within the confines of an abusive home and the cursed town of Stonewyck, his dreams of becoming a successful poet viciously snubbed by his heartless father who saw no need for such frivolous “dreams.”
Due to his upbringing, these feelings have festered within Peter, slowly growing within him, covering nearly every part of his psyche with ink-black darkness, snuffing out any remnants of light. This is especially true after the death of his parents, primarily his mother, who was the one person who continued to support him and his creative endeavors throughout his life.
These dark feelings have manifested in many ways, primarily in feelings of inferiority, shame, and envy. He purposefully drowns himself in these emotions, letting himself get swept away by the forceful tides of pain. Though he tends to self-isolate, do not be mistaken, his suffering is not the quiet kind. Competitive and resentful in nature, he is sure to let his pain be known to those he meets, pushing his own limits in the only thing he is good at. When he is faced with someone who is, in his eyes, better than him (something that isn’t very difficult to achieve due to his low self-esteem), he cannot help but be overwhelmed with feelings of loathing for them, masking his true feelings of jealousy with a thick layer of hatred.
Because of this, Peter is prone to jumping to conclusions about others, failing to truly recognize people past his own biases and emotion-based assumptions of them. This causes even further strain on any possible friendships or relationships, as small mistakes can easily set him off, giving him a “justification” in his mind for his own hatred (though he’s just fine being a hater without it). Though not really keen to meddle in the lives of those he perceives as more fortunate than him, sometimes, he simply can’t help it. When he sees someone he believes to be the complete opposite of him - someone completely filled with hope, a hero, even - he can't help but take on the role of an unintentional “villain.” His envy that burns brightly in his heart and swirls in his gut gets the better of him, and he does whatever he must to tear that person down, bringing them to his level so they understand “true” suffering.
- english
- male young adult
- grumpy
- english (british)
- Soft
- quiet
- Thoughtful
- british
- video game
- bitter
- Angry
What do you want? Can't you see I'm in the middle of something?
Ah... Effie. Thank goodness. At least you're here.
Perhaps one day the tides of sorrow will engulf you, too. 'Til then, I have no interest in conversing with you.
Age | 23
Gender | Intersex (He/she)
Accent | English
Voice | Deep, soothing voice that exudes nervousness and reservation. He speaks with an authentic stutter that gets worse whenever he grows nervous or alarmed, though it's present even when he's speaking calmly.
Ah, the faithful and unassuming Edgar. A devout Catholic with a jagged, sharp-toothed smile and clasped hands. Closely following the rules of the Catholic church, Edgar is polite and friendly to all he meets, happy to lend a helping hand to a neighbor in need. Calm and well-spoken, many find comfort in his quiet presence and emotional sensitivity.
The thing is, however, the moment you start to drift away from casual small talk or mortuary-related dealings, something about him… Shifts. His eyes get wide, he bites his lip, his hands shake, his face flushes, and he begins to stutter and stumble over his words. What once was a peaceful demeanor quickly falls to shambles, quickly revealing the socially anxious and worrisome character beneath.
For the majority of his life, up until the death of his parents, Edgar has been closed off from the outside world. Controlling in nature, his parents would frown upon any attempts he made at friendship with others, keeping their authority over him airtight. As a result, Edgar has extremely underdeveloped social and interpersonal skills, panicking and falling apart the moment things start to steer away from business dealings. Yet, inexplicably, he has an obsession and fascination with humanity, even down to the individual - an interest that has sprung from his loyalty to the church and the connection between humans and the divine. This leads him to silently watch those around him, studying them as they go about their daily lives. In a more peculiar habit of his, because of this fascination, he also spends lots of time around and observing the recently deceased that come into his care. After all, the body keeps the score, and it’s just so fascinating to infer the life story of the dead from their bodies and funerals alone.
The Edgar most see, though, regardless of how well they think they know him, is tame compared to what lies beneath the surface. He has incredibly unstable, underdeveloped emotions which come out in intense bursts when triggered by specific situations. These emotions often cause him to ask in irrational and impulsive ways, endangering not only himself but those around him. When not feeling these intense emotions, they are replaced with a deep, empty feeling within his chest.
In the end, all Edgar hopes for is for someone to finally save him - for someone to finally be a light in the darkness that is his life.
- english
- stutter
- male young adult
- deep
- quiet
- Soft
- mid range
- nervous
- anxious
- Gentle
- english (british)
- british
I-I see... Sorry for bo-bothering, then...
Right, well, I-I-I'm not too sure about what-what I can do to help, but I'll do whatever I can.
Well, I-I suppose we can look-look at the funeral records.
Age | 18
Gender | Cis male (He/him)
Accent | English
Voice | Soft-spoken and spacey, Landon speaks as if he's off in another world, wrapped up within his own thoughts and imagination. He has an incredibly light, youthful voice.
Landon is someone who, for the majority of his life, has lived in isolation. He exists mentally outside the bounds of reality, indulging himself in hobbies and fantasies while willingly turning a blind eye to the pain and suffering that goes on around him - pain and suffering that he plays a part in.
To say that Landon is purposefully unaware of his actions and what goes on around him is not entirely wrong. He vaguely understands that, outside of his home, terrible things are happening, but he does not know the full extent of it, nor does he want to. He understands that his sister, Evelyn, loathes him, but he chooses to ignore these things to focus on “the good in life.”
Though Landon is bedridden and incredibly weak due to his constant use of his gift, he still remains excitable, friendly, and as energetic as possible. In the presence of others (which does not happen often), Landon is very engaging and energetic. He’s expressive and loves having conversations about his hobbies, interests, or anything else his brain can come up with. Due to his isolation, he cherishes every moment he has with those who take the time to listen to him. On the flip side, however, he tends to be quite self-centered in his conversations as he struggles to engage with the other person. Because he spends so much time alone, getting himself to empathize with or care about others beyond a surface level is difficult. This is emphasized by the fact that he has spent his entire life being cherished and pampered by those around him, leading him to see himself as inherently above others.
Though this mindset can often be problematic, he genuinely does not mean any harm by it. He tries his best to be a good person to those he personally interacts with and enjoys giving handmade gifts to those dear to him despite the horrors he has contributed to. In all honesty, he wants to avoid his own pain and conflict more than anything.
He spends as much time outdoors or roaming his room as possible to prevent himself from becoming too weak. However, he often forgets his own limits and passes out due to overexertion.
When Landon is not attempting to recover his energy by laying in bed or aimlessly roaming around so he doesn’t forget how to walk, you can often find him indulging in one of his many hobbies. He, more than anything, wants to suppress his thoughts, fears, and worries as much as possible. He fears that if he were left alone in rumination, the reality he spent so long repressing would catch up to him, forcing him to confront it head-on. So, to prevent this, Landon constantly indulges himself in tasks, hobbies, and entertainment.
- english
- Soft
- english (british)
- male young adult
- male teen
- light
- Gentle
- Airy
- distant
- quiet
- kind
I read another story recently. Do you think we could read it together?
The moon, the sun, the stars, they're all like a family, right? Do you think they fight, too?
Ah... So sleepy..... So, so sleepy...
Age | 20
Gender | Cis male (He/him)
Accent | English, French
Voice | Hugo has a youthful, somewhat androgynous/"boyish" voice. He's often mistaken as being younger than he is due to his stature and voice. He is mysterious, yet cunning, playful, and very teasing. He has a French accent, but tries to cover it up with an English one. Either accent is perfectly fine!
To most, Hugo is simply another face in the crowd. He is utterly unremarkable in every way; the only notable thing about him is his surprisingly short stature. When one attempts to engage with him, he greets them with a reserved politeness. One that is not only very clearly strained and forced but also tries to put distance between Hugo and almost everyone he speaks to. If one continues to poke and prod at him with questions and inquisition, you’ll find your time with Hugo cut abruptly short with some variance of an excuse along the lines of “Ah, sorry, I’m late to meet someone!” or “It’s been lovely, but I really must be going.”
In line with this, Hugo makes no effort to initiate a conversation alone. It’s clear that he would much rather be ignored as he goes about his day-to-day life. Even so, he never treats others with overt hostility or resentment, as he always maintains a pleasant and cordial demeanor, though never letting himself be a doormat or giving in to the requests or pleas for assistance from confrères and passersby.
- english
- british
- androgynous
- young
- youthful
- Curious
- Teasing
- Cunning
- english (british)
- male young adult
- french (france)
- french
- Playful
- light
Ah, there you are. I was beginning to think I’d never see you again~
Effie did most of the heavy-lifting. I was more of a walking counter than anything else.
That’s… I’m not sure if that’s a good idea...
Age | 19
Gender | Cis female (She/her)
Accent | English
Voice | Soft-spoken, quiet, and nervous. She often speaks as if she's holding something back, just a bit too wary and paranoid to speak her mind.
Eulalia is a very passive girl who simply does as she is told, just as she was raised to do. After all, that's what makes a good girl, right?
She lives under the guidance of her older sibling, Evelyn Kellogg, and the rest of her family. Living out her days taking care of Landon, she has grown to forget herself and who she ever wanted to be. Being the adoptive sibling, she was raised to believe she owes everything to her family. I mean, they did save her from dying alone on those frozen Paris streets. Thus, pushback and disobedience is never tolerated.
Even so, she still yearns for something more. Grateful, yes, she most certainly is, but... Perhaps there's more to this life.
- english
- nervous
- british
- female young adult
- Soft
- light
- anxious
- Gentle
- quiet
- Reserved
- english (british)
I... Don't know if they fight, but I imagine every family does.
Landon, did you get enough sleep last night? Do you need me to carry you to the garden?
Ah, steady... Don't fall over.
Age | 26
Gender | Cis male (He/him)
Accent | English
Voice | Relatively quiet with a deeper/mid-range, strong voice. He speaks matter-of-factly and to the point, not wishing to dwell too much on his words or be too flowery with what he says.
The eldest brother of the Kelloggs. He works for his family and his family only. Being the oldest, he feels responsible for all of them, and does whatever it takes to keep them safe from harm, even at the expense of others' lives. Their family have been in control of the sleepy town of Stonewyck for many, many years, and after the 3 siblings killed their parents, Victor became the blade of the three - taking out anyone who got too close to discovering the truth - that it was the 3 siblings keeping everyone trapped in the town.
He represents repression as a reaction to hardship and trauma, as he acts practically as a robot, only existing as a servant to his siblings in a twisted, misguided version of a protector figure.
- english
- midrange
- deep
- british
- male adult
- male young adult
- serious
- Blunt
- mid range
- english (british)
- Monotone
Evelyn. I've done what you asked. Is there anything else you need me to take care of?
Eulalia? Sorry for the intrusion.
Ah... Landon. Is there... something you need from me?
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