iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Key word: loneliness. Here are some early mood sketches of Etel Botold, one of the main characters in Blood Beckons. Illustrations by: @/papirfecni and @/dyingnome #indiedev #indiestudio #indiehorror #lesbians #lgbtq

Top image: Etel gently cups the head of a woman as she presses her lips against her chin. Blood trickles from her mouth, stringing down to the woman’s neck.

Bottom image: Through a crowd of blurred silhouettes, Etel glances at the viewer with a glass of wine in hand. Her eyes gleam with longing.

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Would you like to take a sneak peek at the creative process behind our teaser poster (for free)? Sink your teeth into the early iterations and inspiration, exclusively in our archives 🗝️: www.patreon.com/posts/behind...

patreon.com

Behind the Scenes: Teaser Poster | Great Seal Studios

Behind the Scenes: Teaser Poster by Great Seal Studios on Patreon. Join Great Seal Studios's community for exclusive content and updates.

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

"No innocent shall go hungry." Here's the first double-sided teaser poster for our upcoming game. Illustrations by: @/papirfecni and @/dyingnome #indiedevs #indiestudio #indiehorror #Pride #lesbians #lgbtq

Etel gazes at the voyeur with an expression of apathy and interest. Blood trickles down her chin. The vertical text reads “BLOOD BECKONS”.

A woman peeks through a door left ajar. Fear and curiosity dampen her eye. A thin crack, like lightning, snakes across the image.

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Dear Friends, We hope you are doing alright in these turbulent times. It has been a while since our last update. With Pride around the corner, we are excited to unveil our first, double-sided poster for Blood Beckons! See you in a week! 🩸 Thank you for sticking with us.

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

Some of you have asked us to set up a Ko-fi alongside our Patreon to allow for one off donations. You asked, we delivered! Support us at: ko-fi.com/greatsealstu...

ko-fi.com

Support Great Seal Studios

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

The last stand of a hunter. Read the end of Helva's investigation in all its red glory as she fights the temptation to kneel before her monster. 🩸Read the final chapter here: www.greatsealstudios.com/short-story/...

greatsealstudios.com

Great Seal Studios

New indie game studio – currently building our fantasy world of Venar. Stay tuned, friends!

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

Greetings, everyone! We are here to wish you all a happy new year and give you our warmest hug. We thank you for supporting independent games and for sticking with us as we are finishing pre-production of Blood Beckons. Soon, we are entering production. See you in 2026! 🎆🎉

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

The road to perdition and an insatiable hunger almost quenched at a bathhouse. 🩸 Read chapter 4 of our short story here: greatsealstudios.com/short-story/...

greatsealstudios.com

Great Seal Studios

New indie game studio – currently building our fantasy world of Venar. Stay tuned, friends!

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

An itch and a point of no return as conviction turns into obsession. 🩸 Read Chapter 3 of our short story here: greatsealstudios.com/short-story/...

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

A morgue, deft fingers, and a haunted hamlet. Follow Helva as she delves further into the unknown. 🩸 Read Chapter 2 of our short story here: greatsealstudios.com/short-story/...

greatsealstudios.com

Chapter 2

New indie game studio – currently building our fantasy world of Venar. Stay tuned, friends!

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

Our short story is set during Hava's Festival. Hava is the only wild god in the Valandi pantheon, born out of Viharg's frozen heart. Chapter 2 will be available on Friday. Until then, read the first chapter of Virga here: greatsealstudios.com/short-story/ @/dyingnome

Illustration of Hava towering over the snow-capped mountains of Northern To-Valand.

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 07/11/2025

Chapter 2 of Virga will be released next Friday on our website! 🩸 To ease the wait, here's a sneak peek:

An excerpt from Chapter 2.

"One could call out to the twin gods. Beg Borush to carry their loved ones through calm waters and Tava to guard their souls with care, but the human, ordinary response to loss was considerably less romantic. It was ugly – it had teeth.

"My daughter", the woman choked out, forcing herself...."

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Dear Friends, To celebrate Halloween, we have released the very first chapter of our short story, Virga! 🎃 🕯️ Read it here: greatsealstudios.com/short-story/

greatsealstudios.com

Virga - A Short Story

New indie game studio – currently building our fantasy world of Venar. Stay tuned, friends!

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Dear Friends, We have teamed up with two extremely talented individuals for a mini project!🧵 On All Hallows' Eve, we will be sharing the first chapter of a short story set in our world authored by the amazing @lelianas.bsky.social

Story synopsis. VIRGA - Follow a proud member of the Bulwark as she investigates a series of murders.

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 25/10/2025

Moulded out of the frozen heart of Viharg, Hava silently rules over and protects the snowy regions of To-Valand where the ice never thaws. Learn more about the Valandi Pantheon for free in our archives 🗝️: www.patreon.com/posts/valand... Hava: @/dyingnome Pantheon Tree: @/pfkndope

Early sketches of Hava. Their head is shaped like an anatomical heart and crowned with a halo of veins.

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

Viharg is the head of the Valandi pantheon, Deity of Storms, and Creator of Venar. Forin is the son of the Goddesses Ada and Sela whose love has served as an inspiration for bards and painters across the thundering seas. @/dyingnome

A portrait of Viharg – Deity of Storms and Creation.

Early sketches of Forin - God of Love and Temptation.

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

Hello, friends! Whilst the development of Blood Beckons is marching forward at full speed, we're back with a lore expansion on the Valandi pantheon! Take a seat and grab your popcorn, we'll be sharing the first look at the Valandi gods who are about to become very relevant. 👀

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

Blood Beckons is a 2D, narrative-driven, gothic horror game where your choices will pit you against your own sanity. As desire drips, drips, drips into survival, Elanor's fate is in your hands. Mould it carefully and let her story consume you. Read our open letter here: #indiegame #indiedev

An open letter from Great Seal Studios addressing the nature of Blood Beckons:

Due to the limitations afflicting self-funded indie studios, Blood Beckons draws inspiration from visual novels and will be smaller in scope compared to our future projects. To get there, however, we need to start from scratch.

That does not mean that our first title is a mere stepping stone, we are passionate about crafting rich story-driven games and we are very excited to have you experience a world drenched in horror and desire intertwined.

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 11/07/2025

"Don't be afraid of her teeth, Elanor, for this place may eat you whole long before the end." Our first title, Blood Beckons, is now in early development. #indiegame #indiedev #indiehorror #gamedev

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

The first inhabitants of today’s Santilla were once part of Lehellen's tribe. Centuries had, however, rusted the shared culture between them and their northern brethren, resulting in the Lehelleni Schism. The independent Santilli forged a new path under the protection of the Sun. @/papirfecni

A radiant scenery of a coastal village. A volcano and a verdant mountain dominate the horizon and tower over settlements below. Fishing boats sail away and towards wooden docks under the warmth and glow of the Great Sun.

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

The realm of Lehel is located in the Western Plains. The study of the sky and the Grand Order are of great importance in Lehelian culture, resulting in a nation of scientists. As knowledge lies at the heart of their society, Lehel is home to Venar’s very first university. @/dyingnome

A scenic view of the observatory in Lehel at dawn. The twin towers are joined by an arched bridge. A crescent adorns the roof of the tower on the left, while a sun-shaped finial marks the one to the right. Scholars roam freely between the towers.

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

Hi, friends. We made a Patreon where you can support us financially. As we currently operate as a passion project, every penny counts, truly. We aim to create a healthy community as well as share our BTS development work that we've poured our hearts into. #gamedev www.patreon.com/GreatSealStu...

patreon.com

Welcome, traveller.

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 16/06/2025

Krumland was a land of prosperity and extremes. The former peninsula was infused with raw energy due to the presence of several Great Wounds, resulting in the rapid technological development that aided the brutal Krumi expansion. The Krumi Empire reigned over Venar for centuries. @/dyingnome

An imposing skyline of the Krumi Empire in its heyday. Electric crackles emerge from floating crystallized platforms and charge up the atmosphere.

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

Hi, friends. We thank you all for your support so far and wish you all Happy Pride! The members of our studio are either part of the queer community or are allies, so you can expect our stories to be centred around queer love, deeply embedded in our narratives. 🏳️‍🌈 #indiestudio #pridemonth

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

We've received quite a bit of interest from people wanting to join us, we really appreciate your enthusiasm! If you want to join our small passionate team, you can get in touch over DM or business@greatsealstudios.com #Indiegame #gamedev #fantasy

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

To-Valand is an archipelago in the Valandi Sea. As the foundation of Valandi wealth is maritime commerce, their vessels are well-constructed for trade and protection. The Valandi are known for their hospitality and melancholic nature – outmatched only by their gods. @/papirfecni

Digital art of ships sailing towards an island in the distance. Lightning strikes emanate from darkened clouds.

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

Erdom is Venar’s largest and richest country. After settling down in the Woodlands, the Erdi enjoyed safety and peace over centuries, leading to remarkable progress. Cradled in the arms of the impenetrable Deepwoods, Domonkos is the only capital city that has never been captured. @/dyingnome

Digital art of the verdant Deepwoods with tall trees. A shadowy silhouette overlooks an arched bridge and a building wrapped in vine.

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

Thank you for all your support. Remember, friends, each week will bring glimpses of a different fantastical region in Venar. Enjoy our upcoming concept art in higher quality on our website: www.greatsealstudios.com #fantasy #indiegame #indiestudio #worldbuilding

greatsealstudios.com

Great Seal Studios

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

Murva is a rich yet divided country. While the Murvi Civil War brought an era of peace, the tension between the Highlands and the Underearth is palpable in the very air, heavier than Stone itself. This realm of dual chiefdom is dominated by a reluctant yet necessary co-existence. @/papirfecni

Digital art of a large gate carved into a mountain towering over merchants as they make their way towards it.

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

Hi, friends! In the following 6 weeks, we are going to briefly introduce you all to our continent, Venar, through early concept art. Each week will be dedicated to a country in the Modern Age (with a clear odd one out). We can't wait to share this world with you. See you soon! :) #indiegame #fantasy

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 21/12/2024

Hi, everyone! We just wanted to wish you all happy holidays and a wonderful new year. Hope we'll get to see you all back in 2025. :) In the first quarter of the year, we will have lots to share with you lovely folks. We can't wait! Please, do take care, stay safe & warm. 🎀🌟🎉

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 17/10/2024

If you have any questions related to the studio/team or our game project, please feel free to DM us. We are always happy to hear from passionate folks. 🤗

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Great Seal Studios @greatsealstudios.bsky.social · 17/10/2024

Our vision is to move beyond higher education's ivory tower and share theories, concepts & ideas, which are often buried under academic jargon, through conscious storytelling and worldbuilding, centering the untold, the unknown, and a lot of what ifs – wrapped up in high fantasy.

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