For End Master's Manifest Destiny Contest.

"Welcome to the experiment. A man is dead, and you have to find his killer. There will be a list of rules in your room once this briefing is over, but all you really need to know is this: There are five of you, but only one can solve the mystery. You will be given five days. Each night, one of you will die - no more, no less.

Ready? Even if you're not, it doesn't matter. You're in my world now."
 

This is also a War on Intfiction contribution.

Note: Aside from a few references to Dreamtruder characters/ events, this storygame is a standalone.

It is my first time writing a mystery storygame on this site, so I would appreciate if you could leave feedback on whether this mystery was too easy/ difficult to solve. If you find yourself stuck, don't hesitate to message me directly. That being said, do not feel discouraged if you are bewildered at first; as you progress further in the game, the clues and secrets would make everything clearer. Eventually, the secrets you find would allow you to make sense of most clues except a few, and these would point to the killer.

Make use of the notebook, which would keep track of the information you gained from the interviews and the secrets you may find out. Also, check the item descriptions of all the objects since some of these would have to be 'used' in order to access some clues.

Once you've solved the mystery, there are 3 possible endings you could get. Only one of these actually results in returning back to the 'real world'. If you're looking for this 'true ending', it requires you to play through the last of the five days rather than just skipping to the end and guessing the answer.

Good luck surviving the Halloween experiment!

Beneath the seas, hidden from the Ones Above, our society goes about our normal, routinely lives. I cannot help but feel bored with all that is going on, until I find the letter. A letter that sends me on a journey to deliver a magical item to the group of people that have been villainized over the years, the letter that challenges everything I thought I knew. But which side is on the side of good? How can I break out of the only world I have ever known? Should I join the heroic villains or the villainous hero? I have finally gotten the adventure I always needed, but not exactly the one I wanted.

(Edit - note from the author: I'll be going through the process of fixing any bugs/ problems in this storygame soon, like the inescapable loops, so apologies for those who encounter these or any other issues caused by the upcoming changes).

Note: This game was created for Camelon's break contest. During the part where a specialist is assigned to the breakers, there are three different paths (Lawbreaker, Breaker of People and Breaker and Enterer). Due to time constraints, for those who would like to know, Breaker of People is the longest path, followed by Lawbreaker and Breaker and Enterer, but aside from the epilogues, it all leads to the same chapter 5. As before, feel free to comment or message me if you encounter any issues or problems that I should fix.

"The delicate balance between the dream world and the real world is disrupted. You intruded and messed up the dream of an innocent. By talking about this with an Unknowing, the possibility of the dreamstage being unveiled is now greater than ever. The Jury has made a decision - we have no choice but to send you to The Jungle..."

Life was hard, balancing work and relaxation. Then the nightmares came, and all I ever wanted was to be free of them. Yet, I never accounted for this - finding out the truth about the dream world, exploring the vast plane of the imagination...only to be whisked away to the longest nightmare ever. 

Think a jungle's bad? Try a fictional jungle, where literally anything can happen, and the most creative minds have conspired to give you a hard time.

Note: This game was created for Mizal's 'Welcome to the Jungle' contest. There are several epilogues, and while the main one is the normal Dreamtruder path, others include Dream director, Dreamcaster, Dreamediator, and Dreamhero. Fancy a challenge? Try completing the Jungle challenge without picking up any dreampowers - it's possible, but requires a bit of thinking and planning ahead. Also, for some items, click the 'use' button as a link would not be provided (if this is the case, it would be specified in the object description)

Since this would be my first published storygame, I am still relatively new to this. Feel free to message me or spam the comments if you encounter any issues, have any suggestions for improvement, or just have something you want to say.

Enjoy!

A quest doomed from the start. A man with an unwavering yet unusual moral compass. A daughter in the darkest depths of the night sky.

It isn't truly over until all hope is lost.

'Good and evil, heroes and villains… they are all fantasies created by the world. There are only two types of people: the people you care about, and the people you don’t.'

Arnold Cyzila's best life may have been long since over, but he would do anything to save his daughter from the clutches of her confinement. Even stealing an airplane, killing the innocent, and entering a dangerous world where death is almost guaranteed. 

[Warning: There are some mentions of murder, deaths and several dark themes, so if those things make you uncomfortable, perhaps it is better not to read this story.]

Note: I initially did not plan on joining this contest, yet I'm glad I did since it has motivated me to publish a new storygame. It is related to Dreamtruder in a way… well, you’ll see. While this story may not be as long as my previous two, it was interesting to write a shorter project. 

Just like all my other storygames, commenting and rating this story are both highly welcomed and appreciated. Also, as I have used quite a lot of variables in several fight scenes, let me know if you ever encounter a page where there are no visible links. 

Lastly, there are a few different epilogues but the 'main' one would be an epilogue which mirrors the start of the story (you'll know it when you see it). There are three possible ways to reach that. Even though I may consider it to be the true ending, it is not a typical happy ending.

For EndMaster's Prompt Contest

Prompt: A story involving an old Oriental style setting
 

A simple quest for revenge turns into a deadly competition.

The Shi Empires, governed by the Ten Emperors, appear to be undefeatable. But Liu Longyi's desire to avenge Mother tranports her to four deadly battles, marked by the sudden appearance of a chaos deity.

As she battles competitors for the throne, Liu Longyi learns the truth about the mighty Shi Empires, along with the most closely guarded secret of Yue Palace. 

Author's Notes:

1. This story makes use of delayed consequences, so replaying would grant different outcomes, even if they aren't always visible at first.
2. There are some instances of violent and slightly mature content, so reader's discretion is advised.
3. If you prefer to read the storygame in the same browser, you could click the title page instead of the 'play' button.

Hope you enjoy the storygame!

For EndMaster's Prompt Contest 2

Prompt: A story involving fairies in some way


 

"Save your breath. We both know how this story ends."

As a spellsinger from an illustrious family, Aubrynne Spelwinter has always sought greatness. Yet, in an attempt to shatter a notorious curse, she becomes one of its casters.

In seven days, the curse will take effect. However, Aubrynne's mission leads to an unlikely alliance with the Cursed King, with whom she races against the clock to save her kingdom from conquests and faceless enemies.

Author's notes: 

1. There are 5 epilogues and it'll be obvious which the 'main' one is. 
2. This is a retelling of a classic fairytale, Sleeping Beauty, although aside from a few plot points, it features unique characters, settings, and narratives.
3. If you prefer to read the storygame in the same browser, you could click the title page instead of the 'play' button.

Hope you enjoy the storygame!

Link to video trailer: https://imgur.com/9T3UWTW

For End Master's Prompt Contest 4

Prompt: A story about being a collector of very rare exotic things and/or unique things

Link to a video trailer

Bly’therra of the Illusions

Genie of the Lamp • Collector of Souls • The Sly Shapeshifter 

Ever since she was shackled to her lamp, Bly'therra wants nothing more than to reclaim her freedom. This leads her to strike an ambitious bargain: in three days, she must grant three wishes to the Sultan's future heir and collect his soul.


Zasper Aldaricus

Son of the Sultan • Master of Disguise • The Traitorous Thief

As the fourth son of the Sultan, Zasper desires to prove himself worthy by winning his father's title. To do this, he has to compete against his brothers to form an unbreakable alliance with a neighboring kingdom. 


Author's Notes:

1. This storygame features two points of views. The choices you make in one point of view can—and will—affect the other story. 
2. Although this is a retelling of Aladdin, the plot, characters, and overall narratives deviate from the original tale. 
3. If you prefer to read the storygame in the same browser, you could click the title page instead of the 'play' button.

Hope you enjoy the storygame! 

If you don't like letters, extremely short stories or cliched moral lessons, don't read this. I found it when I was browsing through the old storygames I had created a long time ago. If I'm not mistaken, this was made for Mizal's Tiny 'Topias jam although I never really thought it was good enough to add to the thread. I don't think I'll publish this, but it's completed if anyone happens to browse my profile and wants to read it.

On a dark and chilly night, you visit the Skeleton to ask for hints in order to solve the mystery of 'A Hunted and Haunted Halloween'.

If you find yourself stuck while trying to complete A Hunted and Haunted Halloween, this is the guide for you! Since it is a walkthrough, there are bound to be spoilers, so I recommend reading the storygame before referring to this.

Do let me know if you find any inconsistencies between the storygame and this walkthrough. As this would remain unpublished, I should be able to fix errors rather quickly.

That's all from me. Enjoy!

Thanks for the offer, but RK has already asked to run the second game, so he'll be handling that. Maybe if there is enough interest for a third game/ if you want to run this in the future, we could arrange that :)

I also vote 4. The friendly, minor faction seems to pose the least threat, especially after an intensive quest.

Well, I definitely didn't expect so many sign ups in the last few hours! Some of you may have to be a bit clearer about whether you intend to join or have just commented on the thread. Depending on my commitments next week, and provided there is enough interest, I'm considering the possibility of running two games.

I'll start by inviting everyone to publicly post which room they will be in. If it becomes a problem, ie. people changing their room because someone else enters, then I'll implement private messages for this. As for the second question, the chaotic mod chooses which room they want to eliminate. This can be used if they strongly suspect a room is full of trolls and/or indispensable members.

The coder cystian chooses a room to protect, which may be different from the room they are in. They protect everyone in that room but die on behalf of whoever is murdered. This opens up a few strategies, including protecting the room with the most people, protecting the room with someone whose role is revealed because they are more powerful (and confirming they did this using their last words), or maybe even choosing an empty room to protect if they are not feeling self-sacrificial.

So, you're publicly stating your lack of experience so that others would underestimate you and you can strike when they least expect it? You're more than ready for this game.

Oh, I completely forgot to mention that this would start in a week at earliest, as I'm currently in the midst of travel preparations. Sign ups will last until then.

Welcome! If you enjoy deception, detective work or pretending to be a mod, this game is for you. Don’t worry, it’s not a forum game, just a game that takes place on the forums—an important distinction. 

Now that I’m a mod, there’s no better time than to run a social experiment about distinguishing real CYStians from trolls! This activity has slight similarities to Mafia/ Werewolf, as you’ll see below, but with a CYS twist. Feel free to play as yourself or assume a character, whichever you prefer.

Some notes: 

• The maximum number of slots is 11 (minimum is 9), but if you sign up late, I’ll put you on the waiting list for if anyone decides to drop out halfway
• There’ll be at least 24 hours for each choice to account for time-zone differences and irl happenings
• Throughout the game, feel free to discuss strategies, form alliances and completely lie about your role

Roles

Good Team
To win, you must eliminate all the trolls from the forums

                  

Bad Team
To win, you must eliminate either all the Mods or all the CYStians

      

Neutral Team
To win, survive long enough to take on a new role



All roles would be assigned via a random wheel generator.

Rules

The game is split into iterations of nights and days, which are repeated until one group wins. During the night, each member chooses a room to stay in.


 

• The number of seats/ beds represents the number of people who can be in a room each night
• News & Updates and the Lounge will be off-limits

Night

Troll attack: the trolls will vote to attack one user (every night) and the hacker troll will temporarily change one user’s IP address (every night).

Moderation: the contest mod will SHAME one person, who will be unable to use their abilities but cannot be killed (every night; optional), investigator mod will doxx one user and find out their alignment - good, bad, or neutral (every night) and chaos mod can purge an entire room of users (once per game).

Thunderdome (once per game): if the productive CYStian challenges a troll or Cogite, their opponent will be eliminated. If the productive CYStian challenges any other user, they will be eliminated instead.

Day

Gazette news (every morning): Information would be revealed about who—if anyone—was eliminated from the Forums. If there was a Thunderdome match, the identity of the eliminated loser will be revealed (the winner’s identity remains a secret). The user in the Pit of Shame can communicate with other members as normal but cannot vote

Revival (once per game): When someone has been eliminated at night, their skeleton will remain in Bugs & Problems throughout the following day and if the majority agrees, they can visit the Feature Wishing Well to resurrect them.

Voting: All members would take part in a discussion and cast votes. If most people decide not to vote, no one will be eliminated. If there is a tie, a revote would happen, but if it ties again, no one will be eliminated.

Sign up now!

• Tag, but players pass around a live bomb
• Capture the flag, except the 'flag' is a monster of some sort that is also trying to kill you and the losing team is killed
• Treasure hunt where players slowly succumb to radiation poisoning and the first team to find the antidote survives
• Snake and ladders with real venomous snakes and extremely high ladders
• Poker but you gamble with body parts, e.g. fingers, eyes, ears and debt means death 
• Mafia irl where those voted out are killed and the mafia have to brutally murder their victims
• Rock, paper, scissors, where you're choosing whether your opponent dies via avalanche, a room of blades, or...um papercuts? 
• The floor is lava, literally
• Hangman, literally

Thank you for the trophy, Thara! And thanks to the mods for this great opportunity that was totally not spontaneous at all, I will try my best to help out and not to click the wrong button (I don't want to accidentally move this thread instead of replying lol). Congrats to Will and Ogre too! :)