Dawn Chorus
A downloadable visual novel for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
Dawn Chorus is a wholesome, non-linear romance furry visual novel set in the cold and snow-clad Norway.
Moving to another country for studies is a huge step, but also a chance for a new beginning. Two months into the first semester, you are about to take part in a science camp in a remote guesthouse above the Arctic Circle. There, you will meet a wide cast of characters, each with their own story. Will you choose to rekindle old friendships, deepen the bond with your acquaintances, or meet someone new? Will you uncover what secrets your friends might be hiding? And will those friendships blossom into something more?
The game contains adult content and it meant to be played by adults only, although it has an SFW mode.
The game is currently in development, with updates released monthly. Each update is first available on Patreon and then released here a month later. At the moment none of the routes are finished and all will have 5 days.
Dawn Chorus v0.46 (Torulf) - released on itch.io on 28.04
Dawn Chorus v0.47 (Jørgen&Rune) - released on Patreon on 26.04, to be released on itch.io on 26.05
Broken Harbours (Rune & Devon side story) - for now available only on our Patreon
If you would like to support the development of Dawn Chorus and gain access to early releases, together with other benefits like sneak peeks or polls, check out our Patreon here.
Our team:
Additional illustrations were done by Bakemonoy, Prince O' Sky, Tintiai, Jandar and Ghost.
Main menu background drawn by White Leonard.
Follow us on our Telegram channel, Twitter or, better, Bluesky!
Download
Click download now to get access to the following files:
Development log
- Dawn Chorus v0.47 - Jørgen & Rune20 hours ago
- Dawn Chorus v0.46 - Torulf update29 days ago
- April 2025 devlog42 days ago
- Dawn Chorus v0.45 - Devon&? update83 days ago
- Dawn Chorus v0.44 - Mikko updateFeb 02, 2025
- Update delay :(Feb 01, 2025
- Dawn Chorus v0.43 - Lake updateJan 01, 2025
- Dawn Chorus soundtrack vol.2Dec 18, 2024
Comments
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SPOILERS FOR RUNE:
I'm upset how short this update was, but I'm also glad i get more time with my deer before we go. This update couldn't have come at a better time for me in terms of the writing. The past 2 weeks I have been listening to really emotional music (Have A Nice Life, Car Seat Headrest, Black Country New roads) and the writing here is exactly how i have been feeling towards music. Same as with how you describe winter, it's exactly how I have always felt about it, writing out. I cried 2 times during this update, I really love this deer and the romance involved reminded me of how I think of my boyfriend but never am able to put it into words.
As much as I'm looking forward to the next update for my deer, Take your time there is no rush. I want as much time with him as possible
aaaaaaaa i love jorgen but i cant stand waiting for more ;_;
JØRGEN UPDATE!!!! YIPPEEEE
the only bad thing abt dawn chorus is that it's gonna end :/
I agree, they should have more sequels to it
As a bi dude I wish gudrun or her friends were options
I like that black cat very much. Why are there no more stories about him?
Is it possible to continue to update this story line in the later development?
He's getting more content every few updates this year, but at a slower pace than the rest of the characters. It is a secret route after all!
man, I wish Travis was an option
I just wanted to thank the whole team for such a lovely experience. Looking forward for what else your brilliant minds can do :)
I posted on here a couple days ago but it seems it didn't go through, spoilers for the entirety of Rune's route
I just really wanted to share how much of an impact this game has had on me, though I may ramble a little bit. I played Rune's route about a week ago now, and it feels like my worldview has completely shifted.
I initially chose Rune's route for his chirpy and delightful personality. He is fun to be around, enjoys a lot of different things and overall is very dedicated to what he does. When he started to open up little by little, I got to see a different side of things. I've always done so much, pushed myself so hard. Like Rune, I've had a lot of 'hobbies' and extracurriculars. I wanted people to like me, admire me, just acknowledge me. Truthfully seeing Rune open up made me feel less alone. It made me feel seen.
Then came his day 3 'trip.' And man, this is really the moment I realized this work was something completely different. Very few works are so evocative and introspective. A lot of it hit very close to home. It stirred in me something so deep and primal, so intertwined in my very being. I'm doing all these things, but to what end? What do I even want? What do I need? Who even am I, if not the sum of my accomplishments? I got absolutely absorbed into it, like time was standing still, stuck in moments in time yet at the same time none at all. I can't really explain it, it felt so surreal. After this I had to take a break to process everything.
Then I played through his day 4, the philharmonic and the conversation thereafter. There was Rune's realization.
'This fire all around me, coming in waves, it's love. My own love that propels me forward, my own love that gives my life meaning.'
'My own love that I never tapped into. It's always been here, dormant, until the gates burst open.'
'Love is simple. I pour my feelings out and they pour back into me in an equal amount.'
'And I have so much to give. I never knew that, thinking I had to be successful, that I had to earn my value. I never thought of looking inside to search for it. I never thought I had something to offer.'
I cried. I ugly cried so much. I've been in a burnout for more than a year now, and I also got diagnosed with a chronic illness. I've been struggling so much with finding a place where I feel like I belong. That I can still do things of value, to prove that I deserve to be loved and acknowledged. Just putting so much pressure on myself for everything in my life. But while I was reading this, it all came down. And I too, realized I have so much love. My very existence gives my life meaning. I don't have to live up to anyone's expectations, not my own either. I don't have to achieve anything. A huge weight was lifted off of me. My head suddenly felt so quiet- so serene for a moment. It's changed entirely how I view everything. It's hard to explain, but I don't feel like I am the same person anymore. It's changed me in a way that is so fundamental to my very being. I've always thought that those, the works that change you, are the very best of them all. But I don't think I quite fully understood it until now.
I really wanted to thank the entire Dawn Chorus team from the bottom of my heart. Your work has meant so much to me. I won't ever forget it.
/spoilers for lake's route & a bug report!
There's a missing option during Day 4 of Lake's route that means that you cannot progress further on the latest update. Included is the exception screen
There being a polyamory route in this vn makes me so happy! its so rare to get poly rep and i happen to really like the characters involved too
What route are u talking abt?
Spoilers, but,
In Jørgen's route you can split off the main route in day 3 for a polyamory route with him and Lake
Oooooh, not my type of thing but that's cool to know
Will the game or novel be released on IPhone anytime soon I read this novel on a different website and want to see the rest on release day
Hi? Can I try to translate your game to another language?
At the moment we're not looking for any more translation teams.
Question, due to being unfinished will Devons route continue? I know it said to be continued but I have read some vns where it says that but then 2 updates later it says The End without expanding, additionally I hear that Dawn Chorus is almost done so I just want to know from someone on the team or who has a patreon subbed to the team.
"Almost done" isn't the term I would use. We're on day 4 out of 5, but that's still a lot of content left for all of the characters.
JUST REALISED THE OPENING bus scene is the bus from Singapore, RAAAHHHHH 🗣🗣🗣🔥🔥🔥
Thank you for this cool soundtrack. When you want to release the game?
I love this game so much, it's fantastic at every angle! The writing, the art, the music, all of it! I need more Lake in my life!
Here's my opinions on this game. I absolutely love it. It has always made my day and fed something in me that craved attention. The characters are also very amazing and I like each one a lot! This game really deserves more attention by not just people but by the whole world. It needs it's own headlines, merch, clothes, billboards, community, etc. And the way we can collect illustrations and photos, it's pure joy and happiness. I just wish that it had more illustrations and for other characters too, like Jørgen and Klaus. I also wish that Klaus had a photo or two, there are good parts of his route which could be a photo. But overall, the concept and the story, it's woah, amazing!!!! Please don't ever let this franchise end, please!!!!
spoilers??
Why the hell is there an image sprite of a harness meant for PROFESSOR ARNE in the game files?! Me no understand.
I wonder too, maybe there will be a secret Arne route or something, but that probably sounds weird.
Here are my guesses of what could be going on:
Honestly I absolutely no idea.
There may be some spoilers,
but I still wonder... If it includes a threesome or NTR, shouldn't it be marked with a warning?As a pure love enthusiast, this makes me uncomfortable - I mean, I can accept promiscuity at first, but I can't accept giving my heart but being treated as a toy ，If Arvo had been a libertine from the beginning, I wouldn't have cared how he was used, but he was a boy who could warm him up with a hug from the beginning... and in the end, he really... fell into depravity. Will all of this change?……
Pure love? Excuse me, but non-monogamous relationships can be "pure" love as well. Who is to say what is pure or not? It has only been in recent history that some places allowed people of different races and genders to marry. You're free to believe in and practice monogamy as what is right for you, but denigrating other "Non-Traditional Relationships" is patently offensive, and smacks of the religious puritanism the queer community has suffered for centuries.
The whole point of many of the routes is to explore various relationship dynamics. That's the beauty of multiple routes inv VNs - it allows for multiple explorations and creative storytelling within the same universe. Again, if something is not your cup of tea, that is perfectly fine, and there are content warnings, but as we say in furry and queer community : don't kinkshame.
If you think that a one night stand and then maneuvering between two people who love you but don't love you, which breaks Lake's heart and makes everything about ARVO different from before, is "pure", if you feel sorry for ARVO's behavior is “kinkshame”.
then i shouldn't argue anything with you——You can continue to pursue your awakening that is not constrained by secular and traditional moral concepts。
but ARVO deserve love——not being used as a “friends with benefits”
I'm sorry if the translator has caused any misunderstanding to you - sorry is the most polite thing I can do to respond to your overreaction, sorry.
I've already said that if ARVO just wants to have sex with someone, I won't have any discomfort or concern about his experience - but?
I believe that love knows no gender, nationality, or skin color - perhaps even less so in the Furry world, but love is not a clever way to avoid all love and let two people's love collide in the cinema
And also! In my context, 'pure love' does not mean whether love is tainted or not... If you have watched Japanese anime, you should know what 純愛 means——A love that is not maintained by benefits, sex, disguise, or scheming - since you care so much about being queer or not, I think you should know better than me, an ordinary gay man, that queer love can also be generated and maintained without sex and benifits, right?
Love certainly comes in many forms. One is no more different or "pure"er than another. If English is not your first language, in the anglosphere, "pure" has often used by religious (mostly Christian) reactionaries and fundamentalists to attack non-cisgender-heterosexual relationships as "sinful", so you can see why some would get very apprehensive about it. The same people that don't care that you're an "ordinary gay man" - they view any non-patriarchal/heterosexual relationship as sinful. So forgive me for getting apprehensive about such language because its language queers have had subjected to for centuries.
Also, if you don't like the Torulf arc, don't go down that route. That route specifically is meant to tell a story about the hardships and emotional challenges of dealing with a relationship partner who only values and wants sex. It certainly is not my favourite route (mine are the Lake and Jorgen routes), but I still enjoy playing it. There are other routes to read and enjoy. That's the beauty and joy of Dawn Chorus - you get multiple story options to explore and enjoy.
You should not give up a word that should be beautiful just because of the meaningless nature of religion and the meaningless thoughts of its followers. 'Pure' is simply 'pure' and will not change due to sexual orientation. At the same time, I cherish a love and friendship because the environment I am in naturally oppresses different people. If you can understand me, that's why I regret this path. Their environment is so open and free that they won't lose everything just because of one trial and error - believe me, the cost of trial and error in most countries is not as high as in my place, and I may respect your efforts for equality - but I believe that letting go is a self imposed oppression on oneself.
And, I do not like the plot of this line, but as the ancient saying goes, when you reach the bottom, you will only move up, and I just stop immersing myself in this character who is partially similar to me, and then see how much they can change.
Are their plans for any of the potential routes to have polyamory representation?
Also I love this VN
Jørgen route does (it's at least alluded to) if you make specific choices. There's a point on Day 2 for both Lake and Jørgen's routes where you can switch to one or the other (and vice versa) so if you're on the Lake route and want to switch to Jørgen in the middle, that exists.
Is Torulf: Saliva ended? I see neither "to be continued" nor "thank you for playing" and credits like in one of Mikko route branches. It just takes you straight to menu
It's not finished yet, the "to be continued" screen should be there, so it's a bug >.>
Devon's route got me hella hooked... need more asap, I am HUNGRY, this vn is so good!! Both writing and art are amazing, such a good job 😭🙏
Also need to rant more about Devon cause his character got so much depth, loving the way he being written along with all the others!! Still haven't played much routes but def ready to. Waiting axiously for the next update!
just lovely im amazed 10/10 would wipe my memory and play again if i could for that first time feeling
i have a question... (spoiler for torulf's route)
someone please tell me there's a way to stay friend with mikko ;-;
There is! Not on that route though.
noooooooooooooo
If I could only say one statement about this game is that if I could wipe away my own memories just so I can repeat all of the feelings this game made me feel all over again from the first time I played, I would, god damn I would.
Yeah so I'm practically obsessed with this game atp, so I'll just update this message once I do something, even though no one is going to read this tbh, but idc I just love the thought of being heard and someone reading what I wrote about a silly game.
I cried my guts out, I didn't even know I would cry over a furry romance game, but yet again, I did. 10/10 I'm gonna 100% it whenever I can, and I just hope it gets finished and I can still go with the Mikko route, still fucking crying while writing this. It just brings up how much I lost and I can relate way too much, thank you for this game.
Dude I tried doing everything in favor of Mikko but the route didn't work out any different (but there are still more updates ahead so it's ok, but yeah fuck Mikko I'm gonna go with Torulf just out of spite of Mikko), update on this I like Mikko a lil more and dislike Torulf a lil.
I've currently done every single route until day three, I had to take breaks due to medical issues (kms) but for now the last thing I've done is Torluf's dogtooth I think, I wanted to get to day three with every other character because I guess it was like the middle of the history for everyone, if that makes sense, and because I want it all to be like paired or sumthin, and the fact that I like some charcaters more than others also means that I'd done one by one and starting in the same point. And for now I've only finished Mikko's route and I'm going for Devon's...I mean how could I not go for his route???? Older AND muclier men?? Hell yeah. And yeah I haven't cried again, maybe I've dried up since Mikko's route, but yeah I'll see once I'm finished and I'll edit this message once more, and then I'll wait for further updates cos I'm fucking hooked.
You know I wanted to go more into detail on why I cried my ass off so easily over a dumb game, and it just hits so hard to home, I’ve never had many friends growing up, and the rest that I have just stopped being with me when I went to high school, and then I got depressed after being bullied extremely hard over being gay and a "weirdo", and I didn’t go to any cool trips they had since they basically expelled me but using fancy words like "letting you go until you feel better", that never happened btw, and I never met anyone new or had fun with anyone or a boyfriend or anything, I’m 19 now and I think I’ll go to college, maybe it’s stupid, but I’ll go to study medicine and if I get the opportunity I’ll go on a trip and meet new people, but yeah, a lil game ruined me completely, I can’t stop thinking about it too, it's ridicolous but yeah, I guess I'm a dumbass.
Thank you team, really, this game has made my month way better than it was, godspeed y'all.
if you didn’t know you could cry to furry romance vns then you haven’t played enough furry romance vns lol
Idk if I will cos my boyfailure ass can take so much (I will)
Peak
congrats on getting over 2000 reviews! :D
time flies by
esta en español¿
nop
no :( pero si sabes lo suficiente, te la super recomiendoo
Someone knows if Travis is a possible route? I'm braking my head to discover but the choices I've made so far haven't led me to this
He's not a route
Under the image gallery of the itch page is all the possible routes. (Displayed in chibi form)
Right. Thanks for help! I have a headcanon he is aroace. During the exploration and failuring in all, I supposed this
This has probably been asked before, but how do you go about downloading the updates after they come out? Also, great game so far, do we know when it will be completed?
Under two years is a realistic date. Mindc you, it's been in development for more than five years now and we wouldn't want to rush with the endings!
With the updates, that depends on your platform. In any case you don't uninstall or delete anything, just download and use the new version.
Great game, just curious as to if your considering putting some kinks into some routes at all?
Depends on what kind of kinks you're thinking of. I would say the VN features some lighter ones, and who knows where writing will take us!
So, I made a D&D Character Inspired by Rune! (Cervan Bard, College of Valour for anyone wondering) and wanted to ask what his last name was since I literally can't find it anywhere TvT
It's Rune Dawnchorus.
Mario Mario
Is there a good route for Torulf?
yes
Now give me Arvo singing "I'm not your toy" to Torulf and my life will be fulfilled.
Love the vn btw
This vn changed me.
I know I shouldn't have but I started it when I was 17 and from then I've always come back for the updates. Ive gone through a hell of a lot since I started it. Now, at almost 20 it is obvious it has had a lasting effect on me. It made me change how I saw and imagined falling for someone. It made me contact my old best friend from school and apologise for leaving him behind and joining everyone in calling him a fag for being flamboyant (ironic now since I'm out as bi). It made me reconsider how I saw some of the people around me and even made me think FAR more about my near future than anything else has, specifically college. I owe so much of my personal change in the last few years to this *fucking visual novel* that I'm embarrassed to admit it.
Thank you to dawn chorus and it's developers for helping me outgrow childish beliefs and making me think deeply about myself. I will, for as long as it gets updates, return to this vn and read and re-read the stories within it.
Ive even been thinking of getting a small tattoo of "Dawn chorus" because of all of this.
Btw forever more will I be interested in people like Jørgen because of Dawn Chorus
Dude same here, started at 17 im 21 now. This damn good visual novel really changed me throughout the years too. Im totally not tearing up right now..
After playing Lake, Devon, Rune, Jorgen, and Bjorn's route. I think I'm going to cry if I can even finish this visual novel and do every route except Torulf's. AMAZING.
Me watching Arvo in Dogtooth route
Literallyyy
OMG……He really seems to have lost all his self-esteem on this route
I am legit tearing up at the mikko story I need it to be finished.
Not sure if this is for everyone, but every new update the skip button doesn't remember what I have/haven't read, worried im missing stuff when i do skip.
Lmk if this is just me or not!
Having the same issue