History VisualNovel / SoulOfSovereignty

[[GentlemanWizard Loïc]], a soft-hearted friend of Alma's, does what he can to offer a helping hand to sick and elderly townspeople in need of care despite refusing pay for his work. In the midst of a blizzard, a pale-faced woman calling herself [[IllGirl Ysmé]] collapses in a sorry heap at the Lamplight's doorstep, pleading for help. [[IncurableCoughOfDeath Ill and exhausted]], she proclaims that she received a vision from a pagan deity telling her that her terminal illness could be cured, if only she lay upon an altar in the [[LandmarkOfLoreHollow Temple]]- a holy site lying just a short ways past Tarn. Despite Alma's reservations about Ysmé's request, Loïc immediately volunteers to act as her escort, and the two set out into the snowy wastes in search of a miracle.

[[GentlemanWizard Loïc]], a soft-hearted friend of Alma's, does what he can to offer a helping hand to sick and elderly townspeople in need of care despite refusing pay for his work. In the midst of a blizzard, a pale-faced woman calling herself [[IllGirl Ysmé]] collapses in a sorry heap at the Lamplight's doorstep, pleading for help. [[IncurableCoughOfDeath Ill and exhausted]], she proclaims that she received a vision from a pagan deity telling her that her terminal illness could be cured, if only she lay upon an altar in the Hollow Temple- a holy site lying just a short ways past Tarn. Despite Alma's reservations about Ysmé's request, Loïc immediately volunteers to act as her escort, and the two set out into the snowy wastes in search of a miracle.

Far to the north of the Mosaic sits Tarn, a frigid ghost town hanging on by only a thread-- the dying flame of the Lamplight, an inn situated at its heart run by a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold crotchety-yet-generous]] former adventurer named Alma. Years ago, it would have been the centerpiece of a network of treasure-hunters, eager to re-explore the world outside the Mosaic in search of relics the world left behind. However, they found little- leaving an "age of discovery" that died in the shell before it could hatch. Once again, with no particular reason for most to leave the Mosaic, the old world been left to rot.

* {{Geas}}: Even when [[spoiler: the [[MagicallyBindingContract ritual naming Ysmé as the new bearer of the Sovereignty and Loïc as her witness]] is only halfway complete, leaving her as a disembodied spirit, Loic finds that he must now obey any direct command Ysmé gives him.]]

* MagicallyBindingContract: [[spoiler: upon watching Ysmé's demise at the hands of the Voice of the Sovereignty, Loïc immediately agrees to perform a divine ritual that would ascend her to godhood. In addition, his naming of himself as her Witness leaves him completely at the mercy of her will.]] Even when [[spoiler: Ysmé's power has been heavily limited until she can prove herself worthy in the eyes of the Voice, she is still Loïc's personal Sovereign and will remain completely immortal so long as he yet lives.]]

* CorruptChurch: The Church of the Builder has its own militarized police force in the form of the Shield, and devouts don't seem to take kindly to "pagan" faiths outside of their own.

* {{Panacea}}: Loïc is on the hunt for a mythical flower known as the "glass bell," a species that has only been described in old texts. It is said to be able to cure any illness- a wild claim, but one that Loïc desperately needs to be true.

* {{Glamour}}: Along with its more practical effects, [[spoiler: Ysmé uses artisanry to modify her appearance. This seems to extend to more than just her clothing.]]

** This comes with two major complications: Firstly, the flower withers away completely after it has been used for a spell, so someone who wishes to use this sort of magic must have many of them on hand. Secondly, the meanings of individual flowers (even at the more basic end of the scale) can get into highly specific and esoteric territory. Poetry seems to be paired with many of them as a means of conveying a complex concept more readily, giving spells a verbal component.

Soulsov takes bountiful inspiration from literary fantasy and JRPGs alike, weaving both forms of storytelling into a fiction that delves into both the self-interest hidden in acts of kindness and the virtue hidden in one's most selfish desires.

* {{Geas}}: Even when [[spoiler: the ritual naming Ysmé the new bearer of the Sovereignty and Loïc's new god is only halfway complete, leaving her as a disembodied spirit, Loic finds that he must now obey any direct command Ysmé gives him.]]

* BlatantLies: [[spoiler: Ysmé's impression of a deathly ill maiden leaves something to be desired. Loïc sees through her act quickly, but remains by her side with the mindset that whoever she's going to all this effort to help must be truly precious to her.]]

* Geas: Even when [[spoiler: the ritual naming Ysmé the new bearer of the Sovereignty and Loïc's new god is only halfway complete, leaving her as a disembodied spirit, Loic finds that he must now obey any direct command Ysmé gives him.]]

* Panacea: Loïc is on the hunt for a mythical flower known as the "glass bell," a species that has only been described in old texts. It is said to be able to cure any illness- a wild claim, but one that Loïc desperately needs to be true.

As of December 2023, a short demo entitled Soul of Sovereignty: Prelude has been made available on the creator's itch.io page.

[[quoteright:350:https://img.itch.zone/aW1nLzEzOTc5OTYzLnBuZw==/original/v5AeLw.png]]

[[SchmuckBait If only]] [[ExtremeDoormat Loïc had]] [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse any idea]] what [[GodhoodSeeker Ysmé]] has [[ApocalypseHow in store for him.]]

* OminousMegastructure: We haven't gotten a perfectly clear look at the Mosaic yet, but its description would imply that it is a massive vertical structure capable of housing an entire planet's worth of people and creatures. While appearing colorful and lively on the surface, both Loïc and Ysmé suggest that its wealth is plunged from darker roots and that the Church of the Builder acts as a religious hegemony over many who live there.

SoulOfSovereignty (or Soulsov) is an upcoming VisualNovel by Creator/GigiDG, known for their prior work on Webcomic/CucumberQuest and Webcomic/LadyOfTheShard.

Soulsov takes bountiful inspiration from literary fantasy and [[JRPG]]s alike, weaving both forms of storytelling into a fiction that delves into both the self-interest hidden in acts of kindness and the virtue hidden in one's most selfish desires.

Soulsov takes bountiful inspiration from literary fantasy and JRPGs alike, weaving both forms of storytelling into a fiction that delves into both the self-interest hidden in acts of kindness and the virtue hidden in one's most selfish desires.

"Soul of Sovereignty" (or Soulsov) is an upcoming VisualNovel by Creator/GigiDG, known for their prior work on "Webcomic/CucumberQuest" and "Webcomic/LadyOfTheShard".

"Soul of Sovereignty" (or Soulsov) is an upcoming VisualNovel by Creator/GigiDG, known for their prior work on "Webcomic/CucumberQuest" and "Webcomic/LadyoftheShard".

"Soul of Sovereignty" (or Soulsov) is an upcoming VisualNovel by Creator/GigiDG, known for their prior work on [[Webcomic/CucumberQuest]] and [[Webcomic/LadyoftheShard]].

"Soul of Sovereignty" (or, "SoulSov") is an upcoming VisualNovel by Creator/GigiDG, known for their prior work on [[Webcomic/CucumberQuest]] and [[Webcomic/LadyoftheShard]].

SoulSov takes bountiful inspiration from literary fantasy and JRPGs alike, weaving both forms of storytelling into a fiction that delves into both the self-interest hidden in acts of kindness and the virtue hidden in one's most selfish desires.

* "Panacea": Loïc is on the hunt for a mythical flower known as the "glass bell," a species that has only been described in old texts. It is said to be able to cure any illness- a wild claim, but one that Loïc desperately needs to be true.