CONTENT WARNINGS: death, existentialism, very frank and direct discussion of suicide ideation, body horror, and general fantasy violence
Echoworld is a project I've been working on since November 2021. Since the beginning, I knew I wanted this to be a visual novel with a relationship-building mechanic since fostering friendships and community is a vital part of the message I want to convey with this project. Despite Echoworld being one of my more visually "marketable" works, it touches on some not-so-marketable themes such as suicide ideation, what can lead a person to that point, and how destructive self-isolation can be- even when done with the best of intentions.
While humans exist in the normal material world, the Echos live in a dimension parallel to mankind that lies behind an incorporeal barrier they call "The Veil". The Echos are capable of crossing The Veil for short bursts of times. Even then, they are limited in the ways and extent to which they can interact with humans. The otherwordly powers the Echos possess are noticably weaker on that side of The Veil as well.
The Echos' side of The Veil is a vast, euclidian expanse. Each of the Echos have their own pockets in this dreamscape that they've carved out as their own personal realms they call home.
The Echos themselves are immortal beings born into existance fully-formed. None of them are sure what the purpose of their existence is- as they seem cursed to watch a world they cannot interact with. That is why they refer to themselves as Echos instead of gods or some other known supernatural beings. Like an echo, they think of themselves as a reverberation of some aspect of the collective human consciousness. They do not create the world but rather are an abstract reflection of it.
The Player
Just a normal human person who gets swept up into extraordinary circumstances outside of their control. Who they are and what they do are up to you.
Father Time/Chrono (he/him)
A being manifested through mankind's perception of time and its ceaseless passage. Being the eldest, Chrono is the de-facto leader of the Echos, guiding the others to make the most of what little influence they have over the material world. Chrono seems to have developed a cold disdain for humans in recent centuries, in large part due to how their actions have brought pain to his beloved wife Gaia. He also seems to have a cold attitude towards the player as a result.
Mother Earth/Gaia (she/her)
A manifestation of mankind's worship and anthropomorphization of the land they live off of. Gaia possesses boundless kindness, but one must never mistake her kindness for passivity. She may show you grace even if you don't deserve it, but she'll make it known what she truly thinks of you the whole time she does it. In the past few centuries, Gaia started developing chronic pain and sustaining injuries reflective of the damage Earth has sustained, but she's done her best to not let it get her down.
North Star/Captain (she/her)
A manifestation of guidance, the glimmer of hope that one will find their way back when far away from home. She's a wanderer who's beloved by her peers in spite of her frequent absence. However she always comes back with stories to tell. She is referred to lovingly as "Captain" by the others. She's cool and mysterious and seems to be troubled with a deep melancholy she can't shake, but she hides it through charm and humor.
Eros (she/he)
A manifestation of "love", or at least ancient ideas about love being akin to a madness (though you would never be able to guess nowadays as she's grown and "calmed down" over the centuries). He has had many mortal lovers who have all either tragically passed or broken things off with Eros in a messy way. Nowadays, she tends to matters of love from a distance and finds that the Internet has been a fantastic way to observe and influence people from afar. He's a charmer and a gossip, but she keeps everyone at an arm's length for fear of hurting them. She doesn't trust herself to "love" others in a normal, non obsessive way, trying to keep his own feelings strictly platonic and only interfering in the romantic matters of others.
The Trickster/Lokke (he/they)
A manifestation of good-natured mischief and the trickster archetype. As their title implies, they're a chaotic good entity who sees no purpose in life if one can't make it fun. Despite his surface level immature and fun-loving nature, Lokke has a great deal of love for children and goes to great lengths to protect them. He went so far as to convert his own personal realm into a haven specifically for the souls of children who died in such a way that they can’t (or refuse to) move on to what afterlife awaits them.
Lucifer (he/him)
A manifestation of humankind's fears of Hell, temptation, and "sin". He is a sardonic, incredibly charming man who, despite his origins, is moreso curious and amused by mankind than actively malicious towards them. He's a shapeshifter who likes to make deals and bets with people. While he has signed away many souls in his time, he never keeps them around for long after. He already had his fun watching them live their lives so he sends them on their merry way into what true afterlife awaits them.
The Witch/Theodora (she/her)
A manifestation of humankind's fears and fascination surrounding magic, specifically "witchcraft". She tends to keep to herself and has a distant, cold demeanor and is a self-described misanthrope. She cares very little for humans, but the love she has for her fellow Echos- while often unspoken- could fill oceans. She has a morbid sense of humor and has a particularly strong interest in fungi.
Nicholas (he/him)
A manifestation of hope and "the giving spirit". Nick is the type of person to remember a little detail you dropped months ago and incorporate it into a gift (that he made entirely by hand of course). He is incredibly innovative and resourceful in his craftsmanship. Many years ago, he lost his lower right leg to frostbite. Not very long after, he crafted a wooden prosthetic that he's continued to use and improve upon. Despite his talents, he remains a deeply humble individual who worries he still isn't doing enough to make the world a better place.
Wyrm (he/they/it)
A manifestation of human suffering and unspoken pain. It is very reclusive and anxious, assuming the others Echos find him disgusting and difficult to be around. He finds solace in movies.
The Bogeyman/"Bogey" (he/him)
A manifestation of humankind's fears of strangers, the uncanny, and being stalked. He's a very odd fellow who is either unaware of- or merely apathetic to- everything considered proper and polite. He speaks in odd ways and makes many faux pas which makes him a difficult being to befriend. Despite all of this, Bogey is a very lonely creature who purposefully seeks out direct human interaction more than any of the other Echos. Sure it's for the sake of feeding off of their fear, but at least he's getting noticed.
The Rotten Girl/"Rotti" (she/it)
A manifestation of everything putrid and decaying. Rottie is the newest of all the Echos, showing up shortly after the player character is brought into Echoworld. She is an excitable, eccentric young lady who is fascinated by all things macabre. She's giddy and impulsive and ultimately seems excited about her newfound existence... There's just the matter of figuring out what she's to do with it.
The Sleeper (he/him)
An interloper whose plans threaten to end the world as we know it- for both mankind and the Echos. However, what's most disconcerting about The Sleepr isn't his goals, but rather his origins which are too close for comfort.
