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Setting

This is not a world tamed and explored, but still vibrant with magic. Settlements are scattered across the map, wherever they can find a patron to protect them or a hidden cove to shelter from the storms. Spirits demand obeisance before one can clear land for a farm. Demons ask for a drop of blood every day or they will tear down the town’s walls. A goddess protects her chosen people from the perils of the open desert in return – but no one else.
Vailia is the center of the world. Not out of arrogance does the city claim this, but as established fact – in all the thousands of miles of land and sea it has explored, no other nation dares brave the untamed wilds and storms of the open ocean. Its merchants bring together distant lands, carrying news across the known world despite the risks.
Natalie Rowena is one such adventurous soul. A childhood friend who left his family to follow her – an irrepressible thief who wants to see the world – a quiet warrior with a dark past and enough magic to shatter a country – these are her companion in her journey as she simply tries to make a living in a dangerous world.

About the game

Lapis Azurai is a Business Management Game / Visual Novel, written in Javascript and inspired by the likes of Recettear, Princess Maker, the Firefly board game, and Pirates of the Caribbean (yes, the third movie, not the first). You play from the point of view of Natalie, making choices about what stories to pursue, which port to sail to next, and what goods to bring with you to try and make a profit.

Story and content

In addition to numerous side-quests and places to explore, there will be two main romance options, each with their own route and continent spanning story arc.

• James – Natalie's childhood friend and son of a blacksmith, he abandoned his inheritance to follow her wherever she goes. He's clearly in love with her. What's less clear is if she feels the same way. Along their travels, they'll run into the Universal Trading Concern - an attempt to bind together nations and people with a spell woven of commerce and power. It brings safety and prosperity – but at what price?
• Asara – Desert nomads as unbound as the sand they tread upon, her people are threatened with extinction unless they can restore their covenant with their goddess. Asara is a priestess, swords woman, and broken bird, seeking the power to protect her tribe. But before she can protect anything she needs to come to terms with herself – and find a reason to keep living.

The game includes adult content, both graphics (coming soon) and text. You can read more about what to expect for that here.

About the developer

The game is primarily (solely) developed by BlueWinds, usually know as just Blue. I am a 20-something woman currently living in Seattle, and was working on the game part time until I quit my day-job as a web developer at the end of last year to open my own game studio. I'm vegetarian, atheist and anarcho-socialist, for what it's worth, which isn't much, and dream of one day living in Europe.
I've created two previous games, which, confusingly, go by the same name – BrothelS.im and Original BrothelS.im. They are rather Not Safe For Work (or for children), as you can probably tell from the name.
Art –All of the character art is by Indy K, who's also done many of the backgrounds. He's the primary artist, and I hope you'll agree he does excellent work.
More art –MitTeam is the other project artist, and has done about half of the backgrounds in the demo. The world map is by LordFreeza, and the game logo by Pink Fox Design. The music in the video is Uncertainty, by Ian Alex Mac.