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

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!

Welcome to the 2024 Secret Santa Awards Ceremony! We will be starting shortly—help yourself to a peppermint hot chocolate or a candy-cane cake, and take a seat. Most festivities may have wrapped up a month ago, but the joy of Christmas never melts away. 

 

First, we shall welcome our Secret Santas to the stage!

In a heartwarming display of teamwork and community, CYStians came together, managing to identify the gift-giver behind every present. But just in case you missed it, here’s the official line up:
 

Go ahead and take this opportunity to thank your Secret Santa! Also, is there anyone you’re surprised by on this list? Apparently, this year’s guessing was rather difficult, with most participants getting less than 50% of the answers correct.

Here are some statistics:
 

• The average number of correct guesses was 7.07 (excluding the joke guess, a repeated guess and the Mercer Gang guess)
• On average, less than 5 people voted for each correct Secret Santa
• Six people did not correctly guess all three of the individuals who clearly stated who they are

For further information, you may request a copy of the results after this event. But more importantly, it is now time to announce your winners of the 2024 Secret Santa ceremony!

 

Our first category is ‘Most Accurate Guessers’. Please make your way to the stage as your name is called.

With a perfect score of 22, this award goes to: Mercer Gang! Come and claim your prize— Oh wait, nevermind, it is revealed that this ‘person’ is several different people hiding in a Santa coat all along.

The ‘Most Accurate Guesser’ award goes to @MadHattersDaughter! She correctly guessed 13 Secret Santas, which is an accuracy rate of 59%.
 

In second place, we have @TypewriterCat! She has 11 correct guesses with an accuracy rate of 50%.
 

 

This was quite a close competition, with a few others missing out on top 3 by just one or two guesses. But there are other categories to qualify for! Let’s move on to the next one.

We shall now pass out the awards for the ‘Most Secretive Santas’. Whether these individuals have mastered the skill of secrecy or simply are not known well enough to be guessed is something for you to decide.

This award goes to @Alienrun! Due to technical difficulties (*cough* Mystic’s test response *cough*), it appeared as if one person guessed his identity. Yet this was only the event organizer; he fled into the night without leaving a single footprint in the snow. 

Our next award will feature the complete opposite: the ‘Most Distinctive Santas’. This goes to those with a well-recognised writing or art style. For the purposes of this contest, we unfortunately would not be able to award those who clearly stated who their giftee was.

The winner of this category is @TypewriterCat. Welcome back to the stage. Fifteen people guessed her identity—yes, this is even more than Avery and Ninja who left their names on their gifts. 

 

I would have added a third runner-up if there weren’t a five way tie between Mizal, Milton, Suranna, Sherbet and Yummy who each had 5 people guessing their identity.

If this were a forum post rather than a ceremony, there would already be too many words on your screen right now, so let’s take an intermission. The winners may return to the stage and give a speech if they wish to.

Get some roast turkey dinner with pudding and pie, and we’ll reconvene later to present some other fun awards like ‘Most Creative Gift’, ‘Funniest Gift’, and ‘Voter’s Choice: Best Gift’. We will also be unveiling the Secret Ninja Helper, so stay tuned!

The official results and awards would be announced tomorrow! (Sorry, I got busy and forgot that a week had passed. Too exhausted to properly effortpost now).

In the meantime, a challenge: let's see if all of you can use your combined knowledge of the answers you each got correct and try to piece together a comprehensive list of Secret Santas.

This has to be ragebait, right? I don't think I've ever seen someone misconstrue the Bible this badly. But anyway, since I had to double-check a few verses to make sure my understanding wasn't correct, I'll post a reply.

Mark 10:15-16
'"Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.'

This verse refers to childlike faith, where one has to 'receive the kingdom of God like a child'. Children tend to be less sceptical and doubtful than adults, hence if we are to have faith, it should be like that of a child. Nowhere does it refer to viewing things from a silly, whimsical lens like a piece of modern media that you believe, for whatever reason, to be the authoritative source of all wisdom.  

Matthew 18:2-5
'He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'

In this quote, the reference to children is regarding humility. Children understand that they don't know everything and are always ready to learn from those around them. It also draws from the societal norms of that time period, where children were seen as more 'lowly' than those around them, and parallels the notion of 'those who are last shall be first'. 

Corinthians 13:11-12
'When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.'

Lastly, this verse reflects how our understanding of God should mature as we grow. It doesn't urge everyone to have the 'mind of a child', but rather, states the opposite. We are meant to outgrow our childish thoughts and words.


Since I'm already here, I might as well respond to your other arguments. Obsessions, in and of themselves, are unhealthy. Even if being addicted to alcohol is 'considerably more healthy' than being addicted to drugs (might not be a good example as my knowledge of both are limited), you would still tell anyone who's addicted to either to quit. 

And purposely not reading certain texts does not create 'better thoughts', they just form an echo-chamber where your media of choice repeats the same ideas over and over again. Research the term 'confirmation bias'. This is exactly why, for instance, books shouldn't be banned; that just removes all free will and stunts society as a whole, as instead of allowing them to critically analyse the flaws and merits of arguments, ideas and viewpoints, everyone is just forced to accept one person's perspective of what they consider the truth.

This is even more unhealthy when paired with the belief that your ideas are inherently more correct than anyone else's. Self-isolation is another unhealthy coping mechanism that fuels obsessions. Have you spoken to people irl about your ideas? That might be a healthier way to avoid the confirmation bias trap than re-reading the same books and re-watching the same shows on a loop.

Since you have mentioned agreeing to see a doctor, that's a good start. I recently booked a meeting with my GP for burnout and constant tiredness (my university claims the NHS takes mental health very seriously); it took me less than 5 minutes to fill out an online form and now I have an appointment booked for next week. Definitely recommend that you do the same as it's free and takes less time than replying to posts on this thread.

15 responses so far and here are the statistics! If you want to be amongst the top 3 guessers, 10 is the score to beat.

So far, the most Secretive Santas are:
 ❅  Alien (only one person guessed his giftee correctly)
 ❅  Ben and DBNB (only 2 correct giftee guesses)
 ❅  Sent, Cat, Enter, Clayfinger, RK, and Anthrax (3 correct giftee guesses)

Those who are most frequently guessed are:
 ❅  MHD (12 correct votes)
 ❅  TCat (11 correct votes)
 ❅  Fresh, Ninja and Avery (9 correct votes)

Also it might be worth noting that someone pretending to be Ford filled out the form and just clicked everything in a diagonal pattern, so that slightly influenced the results (they got two correct, lol).

Isn't that the plot of [spoiler redacted], but with a friends rather than a family?

(Now that I removed the spoiler this post doesn't make sense anymore, oh well)

He could be called WhizzyCat.

If you're affiliated with an educational institution, this Kortext version might work.

Now that I've acquired a copy of the Iliad, I'll try to catch up next week once my schedule frees up, hopefully it won't be too late then. 

Surprisingly, the mode is 4 correct answers, but only 2 people got it. The number of correct guesses has been quite split across the board.


(Ignore that 22 - I submitted a response at the start to test out the grading system)

rational person

Yeah, no, that doesn't reassure me in the slightest.

I genuinely hope for his sake that he wrote them somewhere else before transferring it to the site.