A young woman, orphaned on the streets of a city that did not want her. Plagued by recent dark visions, and no longer feeling safe where she is, she embarks on a journey to acquire the means of leaving the only place she's known as home.
This journey sees her caught up in a sweeping tide of destiny that no one could have predicted, and leaves her forever changed. Whether that change is for the better or for the worse is yet to be seen.
Spoiler
Our tale begins with Kimberly Ashmoore, in the pirate-run town of Cliffperch.
Orphaned by her parents at the age of three, she was dumped on the streets of this island slum.
To this day she does not know why, nor does she know what became of her mother and father.
As a result of her environment, she spent her youth learning to exist in the dark alleys and blind corners of the world.
Always seeing. Never seen.
Through practice and necessity she learned the arts of stealth,
sleight-of-hand and pickpocketing in order to put food in her stomach."
The guard have a permanent bounty on her persona, but not a single victim has ever caught her in the act.
With no face to place on the wanted posters, the town simply began to refer to her as \"The Umbral Hand\".
The bounty stands today at seven thousand Kartisian Crowns.
Her mastery of the scoundrel's ways have allowed her to survive and thrive in a world where she was neither noticed, nor wanted.
She had always told herself that she would stop thieving once she had "enough, but it turned out to be an exercise in frustration to attempt to live life within the expectations of society.
Living within the rules just felt so needlessly tedious. In her mind it made no sense to spend your entire life working to obtain something the "proper way", when you can simply steal it in one night.
Only a massive windfall of wealth would make a "normal" life worth living.
To that end, she always keeps her ear to the ground for the next rumor. The next big score.
There is an information network that spans the length of the city.
Dubbed the Well of Whispers", it provides information of all sorts, for any able to pay for it.
And the Well had recently provided Kim with a potential motherlode.
The talk on the street is that of a treasure beyond worth... sunken just off the coast in a vicious storm.
If the rumors are true, then it is the kind of treasure that makes fortunes and establishes generational
It is a long walk to the beaches of the Queen's Coast - where the shipwreck is said to have occurred - and she wakes now to prepare for the journey.
v0.2.1.5
- Added 456 Renders, 1 animation, and way too many thousands of words... Bringing average straight-through gameplay time to ~3 hours and 35 minutes
Known Issue
: Unvoiced Segments: ... Scheduling conflicts for the holiday kept Claire and I from completing the voices for the entire update. At this time, roughly 90 percent of the update's voice work is complete. The rest will be included later in a later update.
v0.2.1
- Support Galleris and in-game Choice benefits have been implemented, as well as an option added to the main menu screen to input supporter codes.
- Support Codes will change with every release. And will be handed out to supporters privately.
- All of the game's animations have been upgraded to 60 FPS! ... Save one. This one has been upped to 40FPS. If I'm being honest, I'm not pleased with the state of most of the animations. At some point I hope I can remaster them, so to speak. But not at the cost of development time. I'll endeavor to get smoother ones moving forward
- An opening animation has been added to the game as well, as I'm sure you'll notice. This is a work in progress.
- All dynamic messages displaying relationship changes have now been centered on the screen.
- Relationship Changes will be displayed in specific colors, indicating the degree of loss/gain. These colors are displayed in the "About" screen, in the Changelog section, in-game.
- Many User Interface elements changed/updated. This brings us pretty close to the final form, but I always expect they may need to change or be tweaked in the future.
- Tutorials on game-specific features have been added to the introduction overview (that plays once upon starting the game). It's all pretty straightforward, but you never know.
- The primary focus of 0.2.1 was to polish the user interface, and implement supporter benefits. This was accomplished, but it's worth nothing, that
THERE IS NO CONTENT UPDATE FOR THIS VERSION.
The story will not move forward until the next release, which is already approaching the halfway point.
Known Issue:
Implementing the code changes for supporter benefits did cause a few "collateral damage" typos, nothing that affects gameplay, but the few you will run across may be a little obnoxious. I've cleared out the ones I've located for the next update, but feel free to report any you find, incase I missed them!
Known Issue:
Due to the nature of the way the game code had to change to implement supporter benefits, it is highly unlikely that saves from previous versions will work. Moving forward, I will make save game compatibility a top priority. This should be the *last* time anyone has to start over. Apologies for the inconvenience.
- As of now, the game exceeds the standard file limit allowed on itch.io. I've emailed itch.io support to request an increase to this limit, but until they respond (assuming they'll say yes), I simply cannot post new versions there. The last version available on itch.io at the time of writing this, is version 0.2.
v0.2
- Changelog added to the "About" screen. All of these notes will appear in-game as well.
- Added 879 Renders and 4 animations, concluding Chapter 1 of Kim's story, and bringing gameplay time to approximately 2.5 hours.
Versioning
: Moving forward, the version plan is solidified. Welcome to version 0.2!
- Bad Ends are officially in place. There are currently several. For those who leave them on, encountering a bad end will give you the option to retry the segment that got you there. At which point the choices that led to the bad end will be colored in red. Anyone who chooses to play without bad ends on will experience a more linear, "canon" version of the scenes in which they take place.
- The
relationship system
is now in place. Certain actions will affect the characters' relationships with each other. You will receive an on-screen notification when this happens. The relationship of any character - relative to any
other
character - can be viewed in their respective character screens.
- The
morality system
system is also now in place. Certain actions will increase or decrease a character's morality level. This will influence available choices, and outcomes of choices, in later updates. Any character's morality level can be viewed on their respective character screen as well.
- Players now have the ability to
mute character voices
individually
. These voice toggles are located in the "RoA-Specific Options" section of the preferences screen. They default to "On". So, any voices
highlighted
are - in fact - muted. If the character's name is
grayed out
in the preferences list, then they will speak their voiced lines.
- The "Graphic Violence" content filter was renamed to the "Blood / Gore" filter, to more accurately represent the content that it filters out.
- All nsfw sounds, as well as all other voices, are now appropriately attached to the
Voice
channel, so that they can be turned off.
- The fight scene in Vex's library has had its transitions adjusted
for players with epilepsy
.
- As of now, Amaya is the
only
character not voiced. Finding an actress for her has been troublesome, but I will continue the search!
- The User Interface has been updated.
This is a preliminary version
! It will be changed during the next QoL update.
Known issue:
In one animation with Dax, his body hair is a bit ... twitchy. This will be corrected in the next update.
Known issue:
One of Kim/Cara's animations in the store room has a slight jump at the end of the loop. This will be corrected in the next update.
Known issue:
Certain areas are missing music that I intended to populate with such. This will be corrected in the next update.
Known issue:
There is at least one scene that I'm aware of where the content is not filtered correctly. This will be corrected in the next update. If anyone finds any other bugs,
please
let me know! All feedback is good feedback!
v0.0.1
Content Filters added.
All content can now be toggled on/off as desired. (PLEASE make use of this!)
- Overhauled the demo content to fit into the content filters.
- Overhauled 80% of the demo renders, and included several more choice-based branches in H scenes.
Character Screen added.
(It's pretty barebones for now, but will be built up more in future update)
Voice Acting added.
The three main characters are now fully voiced:
I leave it up to the Voice Actors as to what they're comfortable voicing. Any NSFW scenes they choose not to voice, I attempted to fill with stock sounds.
Pseudo Animations added
. *All* of these are place holders intended to provide a simulated animation until such time as full 60 fps animations are added. For now, they're simply some frames blended with transitions, but for what they are I think they're quite good
v0.0.1a
Initial Release
The demo currently consists of approximately one hour of gameplay.
There are some known issues with the UI that are still being addressed ...
primarily with the start screen and the location of the text buttons.
Outside of that, any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
JoeyYang EN-CN Translator2025-11-25★★★★★
A kingdom of girls, almost all of the mages, pirates, and warriors are girls. And plus they are so hot. Who doesn't want to live in a world like this? And at the same time, the story is facinating, it even has a world map, really eager to see where it will go.
MrFuckNuts2025-11-02★★★★★
An outstanding effort. I don't want to spoil a single thing for you, but this game excels in so many areas that it's a travesty that it doesn't have more of a spotlight on it. From the storytelling to the sex scenes, this is truly a diamond in the dogshit that we seem to be getting fed on f95zone site these days. I'm going to be shilling this pretty hard going forward. I would like to thank this thread (which attempts to find the best written games on the site) for bringing this to my attention.
United Critics2025-04-17★★★★★
Rivers of Astrum: Daughter of Darkness Review Pirate Women Are Built Different Okay, let me just say it—Rivers of Astrum is like if someone mashed up Game of Thrones with an all-lesbian pirate crew, sprinkled in some magic, a talking squirrel, and a surprising amount of heart. This dark fantasy visual novel is an early-access gem that’s still finding its sea legs, but oh boy, it’s already sailing strong if you’re into rich stories, complex women, and spicy romance. Also, shoutout to the dev for pouring 30 years of world-building passion into this project. That love shows. About This Game Storyline You play as Kimberly Ashmoore—street-hardened rogue, pirate-town legend, and secretly soft lesbian romantic. Kim sets off to investigate a mysterious royal shipwreck, and things spiral into full-on destiny-mode real fast. Along for the ride are Cara, your half-elf lover with fiery vibes; Sandra, a pirate captain with flirtatious sass; and Vex, a mysterious elf scholar. Oh, and Dee, a talking squirrel, because of course. The plot kicks off quick but doesn’t sacrifice depth. There’s betrayal, ancient magic, pirate politics, and prophetic dreams. Every character has layers, and the way their stories intertwine with Kim’s choices makes this feel more like a fantasy novel than your usual adult visual novel fare. Gameplay Mechanics This is a classic visual novel setup with a big focus on meaningful choices. Some affect your relationships, others your morality, and a few lead straight to bad ends (thankfully, retry options are there to save your ass). There’s also a light exploration minigame and a whole affection/morality system under the hood. Now, before you dive in, be ready to fiddle with about 38 (yes, thirty-eight lmao) content filters. It’s like building your own fantasy kink buffet. Want pure romance with no kink? Done. Want everything spicy turned on? Go wild. The customization is impressive, and honestly, every adult VN should take notes. Visuals & Audio Character renders? Gorgeous. Backgrounds? Eh, they could use a little love. Animations are smooth and very much in the "less is more" category. The scenes look polished overall, and the higher resolution support makes everything crisp, even if transitions are sometimes just... black screens with a “moments later” tag slapped on. But the real MVP? The voice acting. Seriously. This is not your typical “recorded-in-a-bathroom” AVN audio. The lead actress is the real deal—Netflix, HBO, and now, somehow, this pirate fantasy lesbo adventure. Her delivery brings these characters to life in a way that makes even slow moments feel alive. Not every character is voiced yet, but what’s there? Chef’s kiss. Pros and Cons Pros Lesbian protagonist with actual depth (finally!) Story that goes beyond just “sexy times” Stellar voice acting (seriously, listen to it) Content filters let you tailor your experience. Great character design and relationships. Pirate + fantasy + LGBTQ+ romance = magic. Cons Limited content for now (about 2.5–3 hours of play) Backgrounds and scene transitions feel a bit placeholder-y. Animations aren’t as plentiful or varied. Conclusion Rivers of Astrum is like getting handed the first chapter of a beautifully written fantasy epic… only it’s a bit thirsty, proudly queer, and definitely not afraid to mix plot with pleasure. It’s not fully polished yet (early access, baby), but what’s already there is compelling, heartfelt, and sexy in a way that feels earned, not just tossed in. At its current price, it’s absolutely worth the trip—especially if you’re craving a fantasy tale that centers queer women, rich relationships, and a story with actual stakes. Whether you’re here for the romance, the pirates, the squirrel, or the steamy sexual content, Rivers of Astrum delivers just enough to hook you, and leaves you hungry for Volume 2. Bring it on. Rating : 4.5/5 ( Picked 5 stars ) Captain Jack Sparrow should’ve been a character! Links Steam Store Page Website Review
Wink33192025-01-25★★★★★
It is a choice based Vusual Novel witgh strong focus on erotic lesbian content. If you like Lesbian / Yuri content then you shouldn't miss this one! The choices drive the story and the interactions with different girls.
DrDerpington2025-01-06★★★★★
TL;DR = great game centered in a fantasy world filled with magic. This is hidden gem. Story: 5/5 Pros: + I really liked the story. + This is one of those games, where you come for boobs, but stay for story. + You follow bunch of characters that are trying to survive in a dangerous world. Bandits, pirates and dark magic will get involved. Cons: - Story has a bit of fantasy cliché. (like: prophesied evil, dream visions from gods, etc.) Art and Sex stuff: 5/5 Pros: + Renders are good. + Girls are hot. + Sex scenes are hot. + Game has sex animations. + There is a lot of variety in sex scenes. And a lot of choices to see different sex scenes. Cons: - Sadly there are only 2 straight sex scenes. There should be more options for heroines to participate in straight sex with males. But if you are here for lesbian content, then you wont mind. Gameplay and rest: 4/5 Pros: + The game is a mix between Visual Novel and some RPG. + You will make a lot of choices that can affect story and stats of characters. + Game has okayish sountrack. + Game has sound effects for fighting. + Game has voice acting for majority of conversations. That is nice. + English is decent. Cons: - Unfortunately current version of the game is quite short. I think around 1 hour of gameplay. To sum it up: I really liked this game. This is hidden gem.
Dessolos2024-11-21★★★★★
review version v0.2.1 First of all there is a sandbox tag but it's really just free roam. You can disable voice acting or just about anything you don't want to see. I will say while I havent played alot of AVN's with VA this is one of the better ones. Still not the best VA out there but pretty decent still. I'm not an immersive player but the voice acting helps me feel that immersion. As the entire game so far felt like one big adventure that was fun. Like any fantasy tv show I would love watching also the dialogue helped sell this point for me. It's worth mentioning there is one forced scene that isn't with the MC as I know some players are sensitive to this. However the MC hasn't even met them it's for story telling purposes while this lewd scene isn't needed it was nice to have nonetheless. There is a decent amount of choices and different outcomes. In the first free roam event I made 10 different saves because of different morality level's and outcomes that can happen depending on which party member is the leader. Not sure how many of these will matter truth be told. Also it seems the FMC is in a forced relationship with another LI. So it's unclear to me how to progress relationships with other characters will be like. Because they feel like they do love one another so don't think there will be any cheating going on. Speaking of which this is the only part I dislike the dialogue when they are lovely dovey to one another the word love is kind of over used for me and it starts to feel and sound weird. Overall this is a hidden gem and one of the rare FMC that isn't about the FMC getting fucked or corrupted but has a story.
Gam666182024-10-21★★★★★
An enjoyable game, for sure. Animations are rather simple - it's usually one animation that's split into stages and different speeds to make it look more interesting. Doesn't bother me, but if that is your focus - you'll definitely be left wanting more. I mostly come to F95 games for the story, heh. Music is OK.
Skeeve12024-06-17★★★★★
A surprising good story imao. Good artwork, a very good plot and the background from the girls are interesting ( so i think Sarah had a lot in common with Kim and Sarah ) I like the clothes , the details in the faces and the body ( not too big breast i like smaller ) I like too the love between Kim and Cara and how they show it, not alone in the sex scene also in hers conversation too . Now to Sarah a sexy pirate i was hope after Cara look Sarah chance her clothes and Kim spying on Sarah in her tent and her feeling each other it is place for enough love for a threesome because Sarah never know how it is to feel a love to other because the reason is her past. I think Sarah need Kim and Cara in this way and Kim and Cara need Sarah too but not like a harem. Now Vex, i am curious , perhaps the can teach Cara Elf magic if they meet together. Ok, that is what i think but whatever come in the future story, i like this VN and the choices they making.
Seyhtan312024-06-17★★★★★
incredibly hot mc ✔ pirate setting ✔ animated ✔ voiced ✔ many kinks ✔ toggleable content option ✔✔✔ the only negative thing (for me though, its probably a positive for many people) is that the mc is a lesbian, but it is what it is and don't feel right to take off one star for that reason. best of luck to the dev.
Jarulf2023-03-18★★★★★
This is just a quick first impression of the early V0.0.1a release of the game. The graphics look amazing, the assets used are appropriate for the setting (with the nit-picky objection to the somewhat modern looking underwear). The characters are very well designed, especially the MC is absolutely gorgeous. It's much too early too comment on the story itself, but so far it sounds like it'll be fun with an interesting background mostly hinted at so far. The English is very good, and everything seems to be very well-written . The dialogue, where many games have problems imo, doesn't sound odd or repetitive. I, at least, get the feeling the dev has put a lot of thought into this project and know where they are going with the project. There is an early sex-scene with a kink or two that's a little more than pure vanilla and may not be to everyone's taste.