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Welcome to a conversation with Lavan, the creator behind the unique modern fantasy visual novel, Wayfinder. Set in a world steeped in Norse mythology, this visual novel explores compelling themes and captivating narratives. We delve into the creator’s inspiration, the evolution of characters, and the intertwining of adult themes and fantasy elements. We also discuss the intriguing story of Fynn, the protagonist, who navigates the worlds of mortal life and giants in Jotunheim. We look at how Wayfinder blends myth, magic, and modern reality in this interview.
What inspired you to create Wayfinder, a gay, furry, modern fantasy visual novel?
The overarching story is something I’ve had conceptually planned for about fifteen years before starting this project. Growing older and just looking back on my twenties made me reflect on how I’d wasted so much time coasting instead of working on what I want. In that feeling is where I found one of the most relatable aspects of the main character.
How did you develop the story and concept for Wayfinder, and what themes do you explore throughout the narrative?
I started with the setting and what kind of fantasy I wanted to work with – Norse mythology already has precedent for anthro characters and all kinds of wacky magic and the like. As for themes, I take a lot of the things I’ve been through personally and find ways to incorporate them into every character I’ve made in some capacity. Rather than having a self-insert, it’s like I made every character have a piece of myself~
A big theme that a good number of characters deal with is dealing with parental trauma. Another is the line between ethical and unethical use of magic.
Can you give us more insight into the main character, Fynn, and his journey as a ‘finder’?
Fynn is a man in his mid-twenties who has spent the better part of the last decade in a cycle of ‘same thing, different day’. Having finally taken the steps forward to do something for himself about a year before the start of the story, he now finds that even after the change he has ended up in another monotonous cycle.
Fynn’s journey with his new friends (and possibly more?) will bring him through many worlds and see him helping many different people. As he finds his way through these worlds, he’ll start to carry the values of those people who are important to him and, hopefully, help other people find their way as well.
How do the wolf giants that Fynn encounters impact his perspective and understanding of the world?
Fynn isn’t so shaken up for very long even with his whole world flipping on its head, and although there are moments where he falters and has to take some time to recuperate, there’s some part of him that’s excited that something is shaking up the normal cycle.
Fynn tends to be able to swiftly comprehend the type of person someone is, and can actually feel someone’s intentions. It’s a feat that comes in handy during a good number of situations throughout the story, but being able to do so only really works with enough context and knowledge of his situations.
Because of this, the most important aspect of the relationship between Fynn and his new friends is the trust they build. It becomes apparent that if the wolf giants withhold information from Fynn, it only serves to hinder their goals as a team. I’m excited to get into more instances of Fynn learning about the other world, and all of the characters together learning more about all of the worlds together!
What challenges and choices does Fynn face as he navigates between his mortal life and the world of giants in Jotunheim?
Without getting too far into spoiler territory, Fynn eventually learns that his station as a finder who is helping the three candidates determine who will become the next great chief means that he has a very high standing in the society of Jotunheim. Of course, Fynn will need to decide whether this is something that is for him or if he’ll go back to his life in Midgard when all is said and done.
The story itself is going to take place over the course of about a year, and in that time, Fynn will still have to attend classes, maintain his GPA, participate in group projects with other students and help save the occasional innocent from the ‘unnaturals’, beings that should not exist and have somehow found their way both to Jotunheim and, eventually, Midgard.
In between all of that, Fynn is going to have to eventually choose to give in to his feelings for one of the lovely men he’s growing closer to – or not. We’ll see!
Can you elaborate on the dark forces that threaten the worlds in Wayfinder?
As mentioned before, the ‘unnaturals’ are beings that shouldn’t exist. There are various kinds of unnaturals, all based upon creatures from various mythologies. One such example is a myling, twisted creatures born from the souls of children who weren’t wanted. Another is the dreygur, effectively undead who are risen to form an army for their lord. I won’t get into much more, but these beings are created and are being used for dark means by someone seeking to shape the worlds to fit their twisted view.
How do the characters and their relationships evolve throughout the story, and what lessons do they learn from each other?
With the story of Wayfinder still practically just starting, these relationships are still forming and that trust I mentioned before is being built between Fynn and his chosen love interest – as well as between the love interest options themselves.
There are parts of each of their values that Fynn picks up, and vice versa.
How have you incorporated adult themes into the story while maintaining a balance with the fantasy elements?
Fynn has begun to develop feelings for the wolf giant he’s accompanied to the otherworld. There haven’t been any truly adult scenes yet, but one of the themes to think about are how exactly the union of a human and a jotun are seen from the outside of the relationship. Another aspect to the relationship comes from Fynn’s powers – he’d be hiding who he’s with in the mortal realm from anyone who can’t see beyond the veil, assuming his lover keeps their glamour up that is.
What has been the reception of Wayfinder so far, and how have players reacted to the story and characters?
Overall, the reception for Wayfinder has been positive! The biggest praise I tend to see comes from those who love the personalities and nuances of each character. The biggest criticism I see comes from those who find the sprites of the love interests to be uncanny. However, with the reworked sprites set to be finished within the next several months, this will hopefully be alleviated!
Can you share any challenges or obstacles you faced during the development of Wayfinder and how you overcame them?
To start, I didn’t have much time to be able to learn to draw digitally, and translating traditional art to a digital format can come out sloppily. So I found a digital artist, Alv. He and I together worked on the designs of the characters and he drew them!
Next, I seriously needed to buckle down and learn how to use Ren’py! Coming from no knowledge of coding to that was quite a task. It took a good number of hours but I got there!
What role does the fictionalized city along the United States’ eastern coast play in the overall setting and atmosphere of Wayfinder?
Having magic and mythology come to a big city is fun, there are a few ideas I can only really pull off in such a setting. I have some neat story beats in store for the readers in both Midgard and Jotunheim!
Setting aside fun plot points, giving Fynn something to do in his own territory evens the playing field a bit between the wolfbois and him.
How does the artwork, character sprites, and CGs contribute to the visual novel’s overall aesthetic and storytelling experience?
Being able to make a majority of the experience audiovisual allows me to focus on story beats and details that I deem relevant. I won’t really mention setting details unless there is a symbolic meaning to do so!
CGs themself are a great way to make a scene more intimate!
Can you discuss the process of collaborating with different artists, such as Alv and Tehngo, in bringing Wayfinder to life?
It’s mostly a commission collaboration as far as Wayfinder goes, but both of them are friends of mine! Tehngo, the current artist of the sprites and CGs, puts in so much time outside of his full-time job to get the details right.
How have you used social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram to share updates and sneak peeks of Wayfinder?
I really should use it more, but for now it’s really just extra posts when I remember to make them~
How has your Patreon campaign supported the development of Wayfinder and the addition of more sprites and CGs?
To put into perspective how much this helps, I’ll go over the current project!
Tehngo and I are redoing the sprites for the love interests, as well as adding two new sprite sets to cover a new love interest. The total cost for this project is about $1,600 USD. I pay for a good bit out of pocket, but because of the support of our patrons, instead of taking about ten months to a year, this sprite rework project is going to take closer to about 4-5 months!
Are there any plans to expand Wayfinder’s story or develop additional content, such as sequels or side stories?
Oh boy, there sure are. Currently there’s a patron-only side story called Wayfinder: Lost & Found, but that will be made public sometime near the end of Wayfinder itself. On top of that, I’m already setting up for a sequel and have plans for a good number of installments after that!
What advice would you give to aspiring visual novel creators, particularly those looking to create stories within the furry and fantasy genres?
Don’t be afraid to make the story you want to make. Also, network! I have made so many good friends and we’ve shared so many interesting ideas together! It’s great for inspiration.
How do you balance the demands of creating a visual novel with your personal life and other interests?
Very minimally and with absolute panic, if I’m being honest. I always end up overbooking myself and am still working on finding a good balance!
It can be easy to get down in the dumps from not having a free day to do something else if I work on Wayfinder for days at a time, but when I post an update and get comments saying someone was excited for it, that makes the sacrifice of free time worth it!
What do you hope players take away from their experience playing Wayfinder, in terms of both entertainment and personal growth?
Don’t wait for a wolfboi to come to you to change things up – make the change in your own life! Find a new hobby, learn a new craft or somehow become a world-hopping hero!
Seriously though, the biggest thing I think I can hope for is that someone resonates with the story and can feel motivated to break their cycle.
Can you share any future plans or projects you have in mind beyond Wayfinder, either within the visual novel genre or in other creative endeavors?
Currently, I’m working with a few others in the furry visual novel space on a project for Cody’s May Wolf Game Jam! It’ll be released within the month.
I’m working on it as the writer and a voice actor – Akiba and Ryezun from the Home Zomewhere Else team are working as the programmer (Akiba) and voice actors (both)! Jaden Black, who created Heart of Amethyst, is also working on it as an artist!
Thank you for joining us and our talk about Wayfinder, a gay, furry, modern fantasy visual novel. We’ve had an incredible time uncovering the creative process behind this compelling project and understanding how Lavan has shaped it into an engaging narrative. From the exploration of personal trauma to the ethical dilemmas surrounding magic, the depth of Wayfinder’s world is evident. Whether it’s the anticipation of future installments or taking inspiration from the creator’s advice, there is so much to take away from this conversation. Stay tuned for more insightful interviews with creative minds in the world of visual novels and beyond.
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