#Le bossu

[gonzague-if]

Gonzague is an interactive fiction game made with Twine, based on the novel Le Bossu by Paul Féval. It is a court intrigue and swashbuckling story set in early 18th-century France. The game has two versions: one is rated 16+ for violence and suggestive content, the other is rated 18+ for explicit content.

The demo currently stops after chapter 1.

Story

You are the Prince de Gonzague, a title you acquired thanks to your ruthless ways. Your bloody past haunts your every step and you have taken measures to ensure a prosperous future as well as put away your blades and poisons for good.

You have made some rich and powerful friends in the persons of Philippe de Nevers and the King’s nephew. Now you just need money. Thankfully, the marriage you have arranged with the Marquis de Caylus’s daughter should provide you with the fortune you need.

Unless some unexpected revelations put your plans in peril…

Features

Play as the villain of your story and live with the consequences of your terrible deeds.

Choose your gender, pronouns, and appearance.

Make choices that will put you on the path of redemption — or damnation.

Make friends, enemies, or lovers throughout your tribulations.

Links

Demo | Characters page | FAQ | Support me on Patreon or Ko-Fi | Join the Discord server

You can find the link to the 18+ demo in this post.

[soapkaars]

I haven’t made a Stenberg Brothers style poster in ages, so here’s one for Narcotics, the 1932 German film with Peter Lorre starring as a bald drug dealer, that was also remade as the French Stupéfiants (with Lorre reprising the role). I used one of its alternate titles, Opium because that fit better

[flashbic]

Gros coup de coeur pour cette édition du Bossu de Féval que j'ai dénichée sur ebay parce que je trouvais les éditions récentes moches. Les illustrations! Le rouge et argent sur la couverture! Les épées sur les pages de garde!!

[taffetastrology]

The signs as Le Bossu costumes

Aries

Taurus

Gemini

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

Libra

Scorpio

Sagittarius

Capricorn

Aquarius

Pisces

[reanimatestar]

@gonzague-if living in my head rent free <3

[image description: three pencil drawings of characters from gonzague, an interactive fiction adaptation of paul féval's le bossu. the first is of the artist's version of phillipe de gonzague. he is a person with long wavy hair tied in a ribbon and earrings. the second is of monsieur de peyrolles, a person with shoulder length hair, a scar on their left cheek, and several moles. the third is of phillipe de nevers, a man with long curly hair, a mustache and beard, a tooth gap, and dimples. /end description]

[honmyoseagull]

Here we can see twice la Botte de Nevers (sword strike between the eyes).

[comicbooksaregood]

Battle for the Cowl: Arkham Asylum

Volume: 1

Issue: 1

The Place Where Beauty Lies

Writer: David Hine

Penciler: Jeremy Haun

Inker: Jeremy Haun

Colourist: Richard Horie, Tanya Horie

Cover: José Ladrönn

DC

[dirtyriver]

I found some volumes of D'artagnan contre Cyrano in a trunk in the Old Family House. I found it quite fascinating that years before ao3 (1925!) my grandfather was reading crossovers between two famous swashbucklers.

But back to Lagardèr. This B&W digest comic adapted stories from father and son:

Haven't seen the 1997 movie, but I love those older adaptations. Brings back memories of watching TV with my dad in the '70s:

Swashtober 4: Lagardère

Today's swashtober drawing is the hero of Paul Féval (the older)'s revenge novel Le Bossu (the Hunchback). Lagardère is a swordsman who rescues and raises the infant daughter of a Duke whose evil cousin murders him and his family in order to inherit their fortune; in hiding for sixteen years, he disguises himself and enters into the cousin's service to systematically dismantle the fella's life, swordfighting along the way.

The novel has been made into a movie a few times; my favorite is the 1997 version (you can watch it on Tubi), sword choreographed by Michel Carliez; his dad, Claude Carliez, choreographed the 1959 version. If you're looking for good movie swordfights, both the father and son can be relied upon to always deliver - half the French swashbucklers I've seen were discovered through looking at their body of work.

Also, for folks grousing about how everything is IP these days: the reason I noted Paul Féval the older is that his son made good money churning out swashbuckler sequels and crossovers, including for Lagardère, D'Artagnan, Cyrano, and more.

[thefugitivesaint]

Nicolas Mengden (1899-1973), ''Le Cheval Bossu'' (The Hunchbacked Horse) by Paul de Cassagnac, 1926 Source

[abixana]

Quasimodo / le bossu de Notre-Dame

Quasimodo /The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

[gonzague-if]

Mild in game spoilers, but as I was looking up more info about Le Bossu, I came across this interesting illustration of Lagardère escaping with Nevers' Baby.

While I know the eventual fight and escape with little Inez is probably going to be very tense and dramatic. Honestly, my first reaction to seeing this image was to yell

"HENRI NO! THAT IS NOT HOW YOU HOLD A BABY!!! PUT INEZ DOWN SOME WHERE SAFE!"

Tbh, it's more likely that the illustrator doesn't know much about babies to begin with. Although now I keep getting the mental image of a Gonzague, who genuinely doesn't want any harm to come to Inez, freaking out more about Lagardère possibly accidentally hurting the little girl during the fight then about the mercenaries they hired losing.

I mean, sure, they did assinate their best friend Nevers so they can marry Aurore and claim her bridal dowry, but they're not a monster! Maybe they have some guilt about causing their younger brothers death and/or Gonzague holds genuine affection for either one or both of Inez parents, or maybe they believe Inez would grow into a valuable asset if they raise her as their heir.

(Please don't read this ask if you don't want to be spoiled about future events in the game!)

LMAO that picture is amazing.

I'm not sure if it's because of the illustrator's lack of knowledge about babies, though. It could be intentional. Her posture in this picture makes her look kind of saintly, like a religious figure in any case, so it could be symbolism.

But yeah, that's definitely not how you hold a baby, lol.

While in the original story it's Gonzague intent to kill Aurore's daughter as well, it's not the case in my version, or yeah, Gonzague would not be sympathetic in any way lol. But, ultimately, how Gonzague feels about Inès in the game will be up to you!

[soapkaars]

I saw the French version of this film, and it’s enthralling hearing him speak perfect French. It always makes me wonder that if Lorre had set his sights on Paris instead of Berlin after the war, he might have had more of a chance to return back to Europe…? Or perhaps not. In any case, I liked watching this film!

Collecting more pics of Peter Lorre in Der Weisse Damon / Stupéfiants (1932). The above one is attributed to "Stupefiants" while below is "Der Weisse Damon" with Trude von Molo. 

In the German version, Peter played Buckliger, or the Hunchback.

[melit0n]

You can't just say perchance

[sunny-and-the-flowers]

"Beata Maria, you know I am a righteous man of my virtue I am justly proud..."

[mudwerks]

(via Pulp International - Vintage cover for La zingara by Lucien Le Bossu)

[vie-dune-rplayeuse]

JDR épisode 9 : Quand mon perso trouve une carte et qu'il a une faible intelligence