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!

Secret writing is fun, especially when you publish it and surprise everyone with how much you've actually written.

In light of these accusations, Ravenic, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.

How is your wholesomeness shield so strong?

Wow, that was unexpected. Like the stories, this match had a plot twist. Congrats to Sherb on the win! And well done to Wizzy for the really strong entry. 

It's actually rather nice, just avoid certain places and you'll be fine. But if you're thinking of joining, my advice is to wait a couple of years until you're more used to the site members, cultures and in-jokes.

Thankfully, I know what three of them look like due to lurking in the Discord

I honestly just thought she made them in a pot haha

To be fair, naivety does come with being extremely sheltered and having overprotective parents. Just make sure you have trustworthy, street smart friends to keep you safe.

In my first year at university, a flatmate offered me a 'pot brownie' (still not sure what this is but I'm guessing it's something to do with drugs - never take one) and luckily I had the sense to ask a friend what that was. She might have saved my life. She told me to stay away from that flatmate for the rest of the year lol. 

Disclaimer: Take everything in this review with a grain of salt. I’m not a professional writer and only somewhat of a seasoned reviewer. To the readers, like all my reviews, this one will contain spoilers, so please read the stories (and vote) before glancing at this.

Story A

Right off the bat, this story makes good use of showing instead of telling. The protagonist’s longing to be back with his family was effectively conveyed through nostalgic details like his boys’ first hunting trip and his wife’s baking. There was a brief description of the dangerous situations he had been in during the war, contrasting the current familiarity of his home. 

One of the story’s strengths is the emotional weight of the boys’ death. I particularly liked the line, “How could this be a hero’s welcome?” This rhetorical question felt quite raw and emotional. After all he had done and achieved, he had yet another large issue to deal with.  The protagonist’s declaration that he fought the war for his boys adds to the emotional reaction. Both parents did what they could to create the best future for their children, only to find their efforts in vain. Yet, the sudden shift to Valerie and Argus laughing felt a bit out of place, considering the extent of their grief. I get that the boat memory was meant to foreshadow one of the boys’ supernatural abilities, but both times it was mentioned, it kind of felt forced. There wasn’t anything that prompted the first mention or the second.

It had quite a lot of cool worldbuilding details sprinkled in, such as the existence of daemon and spelled dog tags. Still, these weren’t touched upon too much, which is understandable given the word restraints of this contest. I liked the descriptions of the powerful storm, used as a pathetic fallacy before turning into an omen of the daemon.

Now, as for the plot twist, I liked the concept but the execution was slightly confusing. The son says he just destroyed the daemon on the spot. Yet, there was only one humanoid figure described: the son. This just made me confused about whether the figure described was the daemon that the son killed, or the son himself. If the son was meant to be a daemon from the start, perhaps adding in a bit more foreshadowing might make the plot twist more satisfying. A perfect moment would have been the description of the sons; while the ending implies that Fron is the daemon, the protagonist only considered the futures of Yuro and Rivin. Maybe he could have mentioned a tendency Fron had, which matched something in his later description of fighting the daemons.

Overall, it’s a solid story and I rather enjoyed reading it. But it would have benefitted from streamlining the narrative a bit more, perhaps by removing/ shortening some unnecessary descriptions to save words for the ending.

Story B

This story begins with a more character-focused approach. The protagonist returns home and thinks about what he can say to his wife. There’s the implication that a terrible situation occurred, along with a reference to a letter, and these unanswered questions pique the reader’s curiosity. 

After a description of Yvette, there is a brief infodump about their relationship, though it’s excusable given the limited word count and it’s made to be relevant to the story. She’s characterized as someone who could never love—perhaps a narcissist? Either way, the protagonist fell for her despite this ‘condition’, even going as far as to marry her and have a child together.

Throughout the narrative, there’s the undertone of dread; a sense that something will soon go horribly wrong. He hugged her despite never having done so before. The choice of diction adds to this—Yvette is described as having “soulless eyes” and her affection is “unnatural”. And the earlier characterization of their relationship is a great way of juxtaposing her current actions. This story stretches out suspense for a long time, as the protagonist tries to find out the answer to what happened to his son, while Yvette consistently tries to distract him with displays of ‘love’.

This dynamic kept me invested throughout the story. The protagonist had a clear goal and a clear opposition. Even though I guessed the twist early on due to the foreshadowing, it was interesting watching the protagonist attempt to figure it out by first grappling with her lie, then checking the room. Only then did he come to the realization of what had happened. I didn’t foresee the second part, though: that the child was the same body he pulled out of the rig. In a way, the open ending makes sense as readers would have already come to the same conclusion.

Both of these were amazing stories and the authors should feel proud of their accomplishments. But ultimately, I have to vote for Story B.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I predict the next letter would be k.

(Totally not because the current 'brain-broken' messages so far are: I thin k f r db r o)